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T{URAL LIBRAT(Y SERIES 



Chrysanthemum 
Culture 



KOR AIVIERICA 



A Book about Chrysanthemums, their History, 
Classitication and Care 

3/ 



' BY 



j/IMES MORTON 

Author of 
Southern Floriculture 






1891 

THE RURAL PUBLISHING COMPANY 

TIMES BUILDING, NEW YORK 



Copyright tSqi, by 
The RuRAi, Publishing Coivipanv, 






ELECTROTVPiD AND PRINTED BY 
J. HORACE McFARLAND, HARRISBURG. TK, 



PREFACE. 

TO ALL who cultivate the Chrysanthemum — the Star- 
eyed Daughter of the Fall — the author presents this 
little volume that he has endeavored to make replete 
with tidings of the Autumn Queen. 

Numerous works have been devoted to this favorite flower, 
but they are chiefly of English origin, and in view of the great 
difference in our climatic conditions, they can only with 
uncertainty be adopted as guides in our country. There 
have also been issued a few excellent treatises on the Chrys- 
anthemum, that except in a casual manner do not deal with 
anything further than mere cultural details, and it is therefore 
hoped that the ensuing pages will be of interest to those who 
are desirous of obtaining, in addition to cultural instruc- 
tions, a brief histor}' of their favorite flower, gleaned from 
many sources. 

The wonderful progress in the culture of the Chrysanthe- 
mum under the influences of American environments, the 
matchless beauty and vigor of the American seedlings, to- 
gether with the all-important demand for information regard- 
ing its culture, have suggested the publication of the pres- 
ent volume, presenting the results of experience gained 



4 Chrysa?ithemu7n Cultiwe for Avierica. 

beneath American skies and enumerating the varieties most 
popular among American amateur and professional florists. 

It is also hoped that the present volume will prove com- 
panionable, and gain admission into the fellowship of works 
devoted to our Queen by other growers who have written of 
their favorite flower and mine, and that it may find for itself an 
abiding place in the hearts and homes of all people. 

In regard to a large portion of the historical matter pre- 
sented, the writer desires to express his obligations and grati- 
tude for the kindly assistance of that profound student of 
chrysanthemum history, Mr. C. Harman Payne, of London, 
England. He would also acknowledge his indebtedness to 
the pages of the Gardener'' s Magazine, and to Mr. Shirley 
Hibberd,* its courteous and learned conductor. 

Clarksville, Te?i7i. James Morton. 



*The author is pained to learn, since this volume has been in press, of the death of 
this revered horticultural leader. 



CONTENTS. 



Chapter. Page. 

I. Oriental and European History . 7 

II. American History 31 

III. Propagation 41 

IV. General Culture 50 

V. Exhibition Plants 63 

VI. Insects and Diseases 74 

VII. Sports and Other Variations 76 

Vlll. Chrysanthemum Shows and Organizations 83 

IX. Classification 94 

X. Varieties for Various Purposes iio 

XI. Calendar of Monthly Operations .... 118 



CHAPTER !. 



Oriental and European History. 

rROM almost pre-historic times the inhabitants of China 
and Japan have cultivated this famous flower with a 
wonderful devotion. From the earliest times travelers 
have related the esteem in which this plant was held 
by the inhabitr^nts of the flowery kingdom. The propitious 
climate enabled the gardeners to display its virtues and ad- 
vance its fame until it now adorns the humblest cottage as 
well as the habitation of the exalted mandarin. This great 
love for the chrysanthemum in the Celestial Empire, as well 
as in the Mikado's kingdom, did not extend to the entire 
genus, but was confined to the varieties indigenous to their 
climate, toward which they still exhibit the most ardent and 
unchanging admiration. 

The chr3^santhemum derives its name from the Greek 
words, chrysos, gold, and anthos, a flower, the literal meaning, 
therefore, being ''gold flower," and in such varieties as 
Grandiflorum, Gold, and a host of others, the petals are of a 
rich, golden yellow, which abundantly justifies the name. It 
is an extensive genus of composite plants, and includes 
species which are to be found growing in nearly every part of 
the world, some of them being so far remote as the extreme 
northeast of Asia, while many others are indigenous to vari- 
ous parts of western Europe. In Asia the barren steppes of 

(7) 



S Chfysanthemum Culture for America. 

Siberia are the habitat of C. absinthifolium^ and Kamtchatka that 
of C. carinatum. In northern Africa are found C. paludostim, 
C. carinatum and C. pumilum ; in Asiatic Turkey, C. ta7iaceti- 
jolium and C. lancifolium ; in Hungary, C. rotiindifolium and C. 
sylvestre ; in Austria, C. atratimi ; in Spain, C. anomaluvi and 
C. radicans, and in France, C. inontantim and C. perpusillum. 
Great Britain has C. Leiica^itheniiim, the ox-eye daisy, and C. 
segetum, the corn marigold, which are also found in America, 
all belonging to the same family. Notwithstanding the long 
list given, it will be observed that it is not by any means com- 
plete, inasmuch as Russia, Switzerland, Italy, Sicily, the 
Levant, Mexico, India, China and Japan contribute additional 
species of this important and widespread genus. But of all 
these species, those of India, China, and Japan are perhaps 
the most usually denoted by the comprehensive word — chrys- 
anthemum — among the majority of people who are engaged 
in the cultivation of this beautiful and deservedly popular 
autumn flower, the named varieties of which alone already 
number between two and three thousand, and are constantly 
increasing. 

There are good reasons for supposing that it was cultivated 
with much devotion by the gardeners of China and Japan for 
centuries before its importation into Europe. A well-known 
traveler in those countries tells us in one of his works that 
'''so great a favorite is the chrysanthemum with the Chinese 
gardeners that no persuasion will deter them from its culture, 
and they will frequently resign their situations rather than be 
forbidden by their employers to grow it." In support of this 
statement, he relates the experience of an English resident in 
that country, who, without the slightest interest in the plant, 
was compelled to allow his native gardener the pleasure of 
cultivating it solely on that account. The Chinese often train 
the chrysanthemum into curious and fantastic forms, such as 
pagodas, horses, stags, ships, etc. Another pecuhar method 



Oriental and iLuropcan History. 9 

of culture practiced at Chea-yuen, where it is extensively cul- 
tivated, is the grafting of cuttings into stout stems of Artemisia 
indica as a stock. Among the Japanese the chrysanthemum 
is no less prized than in China, and they display great skill in 
its culture, calling it the Queen of Flowers. At the most 
popular of the Japanese festivals, the people display effigies 
of their traditional heroes, constructed of massive chr^^san- 
themum blossoms, Benkei, the Japanese Hercules, appearing 
gorgeously appareled in white, 3'ellow and purple pompons. 

In many other ways the Chinese and Japanese reveal their 
love for this plant, but probably in no more apparent and 
lasting manner than by applying the talent of their most 
skillful artists to portray its fair form and vivid coloring on 
their pottery and household fabrics, as well as in numberless 
illustrated books and pamphlets. 

In Japan the Imperial Order of the Chrysanthemum is the 
most distinguished decoration of the Empire. It was founded 
in 1876, and consists of a star and collar hung around the 
neck b}^ a riband, the whole work being in gold, silver and 
enamels. Bestowed, with rare exceptions, only upon royal 
personages, it is consequently considered a very high distinc- 
tion among European sovereigns who have been wearers of 
this mark of the Mikado's favor. The chrysanthemum, or 
"kiku," as it is called in Japan, is also one of the crest 
badges of the imperial family, and is used as an official seal. 
The hilts of the swords forged by the Emperor Go Toba, who 
ascended the throne in 1186, had the kiku figured upon them. 

The chr3'santhemum season in Japan is looked forward to 
with much pleasure, and the different communities manifest 
the greatest enthusiasm in its culture. A certain day is set 
apart as a festival, w^hen all turn out to pay due homage to 
their national emblem, the many-hued chrysanthemum. Dur- 
ing their blooming period the gardens of all the prominent 
florists present an exhibit'on of great beauty. Each evening 



lo Chrysanthemuffi Cuitui^e for America. 

for many weeks the notables of rank, as well as the peasants 
in holiday attire, join in the happy festivities. The fetes are 
always held in the evenings and the grounds are beautifully 
illuminated, presenting a scene brilliant beyond description. 
His Majesty also opens his gardens at the Imperial Palace on 
this grand fete day. All the highest native officials and foreign 
residents of distinction are present, and invitations are highly 
prized and much sought after. It is one of the few occasions 
when the Empress is to be seen in public. She delights in 
having the most dainty handkerchiefs of gauze embroidered 
in chrysanthemums of all colors. Her ladies of honor also 
appear in gorgeous dresses with chrysanthemums worked upon 
them. Upon this occasion the display of the national flower 
is said to be unequaled. Nowhere can they be found in such 
profusion, so fully developed and brilliant in color, while the 
rich imperial violet silk with which the tents and buildings are 
draped bear upon them the heraldic kiku in all its pristine 
loveliness. As the day draws to a close the people return to 
their homes to complete the slow process of intoxication by 
drinking saki, into which are thrown the blooms of chrysan- 
themums, which they suppose will preserve them from evil 
the coming year. 

The varieties cultivated in Japan are numerous, many of 
them having exquisite beauty, as the importations of late 
years attest. True, they may not have Ada Spaulding, Mrs. 
Carnegie, Mrs. W. K. Harris, or any of the American prize 
winners, but we believe their wealth of beautiful sorts is yet 
far from exhausted, and we may expect in the not distant 
future, through the indomitable enterprise of the American 
importer, to have representatives of all the most desirable 
sorts now grown by our Japanese friends blossoming in exhi- 
bition halls of our American cities. Judging from the new 
type of chrysanthemums of which Mrs. Alpheus Hardy and 
Louis Boehmer are forerunners in the United States, we can- 



Orietttal and European History. 1 1 

not but think that, with the combined efforts of the importer 
and the hybridizer, its varieties will, within the next decade, 
be augmented many fold. The varieties with soft, feathery 
growth, over which so much ado has been made within the 
past few years, have long been common in Japan, for Mr. 
Fortune tried many years since to bring to England a variety 
that had its florets edged very beautifully with a hair-like 
fringe, but it was unfortunately lost on the way. The chrys- 
anthemums in Japan are not confined to the autumn varieties, 
for several beautiful summer blooming kinds of large size are 
to be met with in the gardens of that country. These, how- 
ever, would never become as popular in our climate as the 
fall flowering varieties, as the season of blooming has much 
to do with the popularity of the many varieties we cultivate. 
What is known as the umbelliferous chrysanthemums have 
not made much progress among our florists as yet. These 
varieties are grown in the southern province, Kiushiu, and, 
though the flowers are small, their branches are very compact, 
forming a plant a yard in diameter. 

We have been taught that there is no such thing in nature 
as plants of the same species producing scarlet, yellow and 
blue flowers. Perhaps the nearest approach to this is the 
hyacinth, but in this, although wx have the yellow and blue, 
we have no true scarlet. Neither is there any true scarlet 
among the chrysanthemums, which encourages some credence 
in the information regarding the existence in Japan of a 
variety with blue flowers. In the " History of Nin-toku-ten- 
wan " the following passage occurs : ''In 386, in the seventy- 
third year of his reign, seeds of the chrysanthemum were 
first introduced into Japan from a foreign country, both blue 
and yellow, red, white and violet." There are frequently 
represented on Japanese porcelain, both ancient and modern, 
especially that of Satsuma and Kioto, chrysanthemum blos- 
soms in blue or emerald green, to which fact may be attributed 



12 Chrysayitheiniun Cultiire for America 

the notion that a blue chrysanthemum exists in Japan. It is 
supposed to be in the possession of the Japanese Buddhist 
priests, who guard it with jealous care from the eyes of 
western travelers, and refuse to allow it to leave their hands. 
M. Em. Rodigrez, the well-known Belgian horticulturist, writ- 
ing upon this subject, says : ''Some day, perhaps, we shall 
get a sight of this famous blue chrysanthemum, which we are 
assured exists somewhere in the Celestial Empire, but which 
has been sought for in vain. It may grow in the valley of 
the King-Chang-Oola, inaccessable to Europeans and Ameri- 
cans, as is also the blue camellia, and the blue lily." 

Beside the potter, metal worker, weaver and ivory car- 
ver, the painter also has lavished his skill on this charming 
flower. In common with the cherry blossom and convolvulus, 
the chryanthemum enjoys the distinction of having illustrated 
books concerning it, specially designed by talented artists, and 
many a renowned artist has not disdained it as the subject of 
his masterpiece. 

The name of the ninth month in Japan, in which the kiku is 
in bloom, is Kiku-dzuki, and on the ninth day of Kiku-dzuki 
the principal festivals of the country are held, when mirth 
and feasting are the order of the day. The commonest girl's 
name in Japan is O-kiku San, which means Honorable Miss 
Chrysanthemum. 

It is nearly two hundred years since this plant first became 
known in Europe. It was at various times mentioned by 
many of the early botanists under different names, but they 
disagreed as to the genus with which it should be classed. 
Bregnius in 1689 most accurately describes the Chinese 
varieties, and was first to mention the species, calling it 
Matricaria Japonica maxima, giving it also the Japanese name 
''kychonophane." He makes allusion to six distinct varie- 
ties, white, blush, rose, yellow, purple and crimson, which he 
gays were growing in Holland at that time. These plants 



Oriental and European History, 13 

were subsequently lost in the Dutch gardens, and it is strange 
that no account of them can be discovered, and that the gar- 
deners of Holland knew nothing of them when the chrysan- 
themum was again introduced into Europe a century later. 
The next mention of the chrysanthemum is in i6go, by 
Rheede, a Dutch scientist, in which he alleges that the Dutch 
were the first Europeans to cultivate the small-flowered varie- 
ties, and that it was taken by them to their distant colonies of 
Amboyna and Malabar, where the name of ''tsjettipu" was 
given it. Plukenet describes the small-flowered plants under 
the name Matricaria Sinensis, describing what is thought to be 
the Chinese chrysanthemum Matricaria Japo7iica maxinia, re- 
ferring also to the kychonophane of Bregnius. 

The learned Engelbert Kaempfer, who visited Japan in 
1690, describes the Chinese chrysanthemum, imder the name 
matricaria, as growing wild in the gardens, being called by 
the natives kik, kikf, or kikku. He says that there are 
many varieties, some of which are in blossom at all seasons 
of the year, and that they are the principal ornaments of all 
the gardens. Rumphius, in the year 1750, gives a description 
of plants collected in Amboyna and the adjacent islands, in 
which the small flowered species is described as Matricaria 
Sine?isis, and is said to have been introduced from China. He 
also states that in the latter country it is cultivated in pots, 
and that the Chinese gardeners keep it dwarf and allow only 
one bloom upon a shoot. 

It appears in the '^Hortus Kewensis " that in England the 
first known plant of the chrysanthemum which bore a small 
yellow blossom, was growing in the Apothecarius Botanic Gar- 
den at Chelsea in 1764, but was at that time little esteemed 
and soon lost sight of. A fortunate circumstance, bearing 
upon this history, is that when Sir Thomas Sloan conveyed 
the land forming this garden to the Apothecarius Society in 
1722, he inserted in the covenant a clause binding them to 



14 Chrysanthemum Culture for Am,erica. 

present to the Royal Society fifty dried specimens of distinct 
plants every year until the number reached two thousand. In 
accordance, therefore, with the terms of the deed, a specimen 
of this small yellow variety was, with other plants, presented 
by the society's gardener, Phillip Miller, to the Royal Society 
under the name Matricaria indica, and is still preserved in 
the British Museum. 

Thunberg, in his ''Flora Japonica, " describes the plant in 
1784, which he asserts is Linnaeus' s C. indicum, and refers to 
the preceding account by Kaempfer. He, too, gives the 
Japanese appellations, kik, kikf, kikku, kikof, and kiko-no 
fanna, which latter name is but a different form of the word 
k3^chonophane, used by Bregnius, the word fanna being used 
.by the Japanese as expressive of elegance. Thunberg men- 
tions a great difference in color as well as size, also single and 
double flowering kinds, all of which are grown in the gardens 
of Japan on account of their beautiful flowers produced in the 
autumn months, and he tells us that it is the same plant 
mentioned by Kaempfer as matricaria. 

Loureiro, the Portugese traveler, in his account in 1790 
of the plants of Cochin China, refers to the C. indicum of 
Linnaeus, but his description evidently belongs to the Chinese 
chrysanthemum. He speaks of the variety of the color of 
its flowers, which he states are white, red, blush, yellow, vio- 
let and purple, of various sizes, ard grown in all the gardens 
of China and Cochin China. 

Ramatuella calls it Anthemis grandifloray while Willdenow, in 
1801, placed it under the samr genus, but gave it another spe- 
cific name, calling it A?tthenas artemisicefolia. Among other 
botanical writers who described it, may be mentioned Moench, 
Ray, Swett, Morrison, Valliant, Persoon and Desfontaines. 

Thus, while the chrysanthemum culture of to-day is denom- 
inated a modern craze, it was in olden times the object of 
more than ordinary interest. 



Orie7ital aiid Europeayi History. 15 

It will be seen that up to this time a great diversity of opin- 
ion existed among botanists as to its true generic and specific 
name. The writings of Joseph Sabine afford much use- 
ful and interesting information regarding the diversity of 
opinion as to which genus the large-flowering or Chinese 
chrysanthemum belongs. He contended that the varieties 
then known were not the C. indie mn of Linnaeus. In his ex- 
haustive papers he gave an account of his study and research, 
definitely setting the whole matter at rest, the result being 
that the small-flowered varieties were C. indicum, whereas the 
large Chinese chrysanthemum of 1789, and its successors, 
were proved by him to belong to an entirely different species, 
thenceforth to be known as C. Sinensis. 

The chrysanthemum, up to 1824, was distinguished only by 
its form and color. The Chinese names, many of which were 
curious and fanciful, could only be applied with uncertainty. 
The following, translated from the original by Mr. Reeves, 
will serve as examples of the names by which the chrysan- 
themum was known in the Celestial Empire: '-The purple 
lily, the white wave of autumn, the purple peasant's tail, the 
scarlet robe, the yellow gojd thread, the purple butterfly, the 
purple peasant's feather, the yellow tiger's claw, the crystal 
wave and the drunken lady." 

The Japanese also, in bestowing names, follow the example 
of their neighbors, and it is not unusual to find them exhibit- 
ing varieties labeled with such names as ''Mountain Mist," 
''Autumnal Cloud," and "Ten thousand times sprinkled 
with gold." 

A few years afterwards, as soon as the French and Dutch 
started in a sort of floral hero worship, a new system of 
nomenclature was brought into existence by naming the plants 
after the principal celebrities in their respective countries. 
In 1827 a writer in " Hone's Table Book," under the heading 
of ."Winter Flowers,' refers undoubtedly to the chrysanthe- 



J 6 CJuysanthemurn Culture for A7?ie7?ca. 

mum, and adopts the pseudonym of "Jerry Blossoms." The 
writer also stated that there was little chance for its ripening 
seed, as it bloomed at the commencement of winter. Mr. 
Sabine was also of the same opinion, and up to this time no 
chrysanthemums had been produced from seed in England. 
We are told by Mr. Burhidge, in his very excellent work 
upon chrysanthemums, that about that year Isaac Wheeler, 
gardener and porter of Magdalen Hall, now Hertford College, 
Oxford, raised the first Enghsh seedlings; and on December 
2d, 1832, Mr. Wheeler exhibited some of his seedlings in 
London, and received a silver Banksian medal for them as the 
earliest chrysanthemums raised in England. They were in- 
significant blooms compared with those of the present day, 
and were referred to only as a curiosity. In 1835 some seed- 
lings were raised in Norfolk, which Mr. Salter claims were 
the first ever produced in England. These were grown by 
Mr. Short and Mr. Freestone. The latter was the more suc- 
cessful grower, as some varieties raised at that time exist to 
the present day. 

It is a noteworthy fact, in connection with the chrysanthe- 
mum, that the interest in the flower has never been allowed to 
abate. At several periods of its existence some unexpected 
development, or departure from the ordinary course, has given 
new impetus to its cultivation, and excited the curiosity and 
admiration of its growers, when it might have otherwise 
ceased to retain its hold upon their affections. In the year 
1846 an instance of this occurred in England, when the small- 
flowered species known as pompon was introduced. In 1843 
the Horticultural Society of London sent Robert Fortune, 
the superintendent of the glass department of their garden, 
"to Chma, and, on his return in 1846, he brought home, with 
other curiosities, two small-flowered varieties, known asChusan 
Daisy. These were at once introduced into the Versailles nur- 
sery and soon became favorites with the French, their seed- 



Orieyital and European History. 17 

lings being more double than the original. From their 
compactness and resemblance to a rosette, they received the 
name of pompons. Mr. Salter and Mr. Fortune both say, 
and they are probably right, that from those two varieties all 
the pompons now in cultivation sprung. 

Yet another, and unquestionably the greatest impulse, was 
given in 1860-61, by this same determined collector, Vv'hen, 
on his second journey to the far East, he sent to England 
seven varieties much esteemed by the florists of Japan, which 
created almost a revolution in the chrysanthemum world at 
that time, and they are to-day by far the most popular sorts 
grown upon the American and European continents. Among 
those first sent out, and which still remain among the best, 1 
are Grandiflorum, Baron de Frailly, Yellow Dragon and Hero 
of Magdala. i 

During all the time the chrysanthemum was making such 
rapid strides, and fast taking its place as a favorite flower in 
England, it made little progress in France, to a native of 
which its first introduction was due. A year after Blanchard's 
importation it was grown in the Jardin des Plantes, but, like 
the variety of Chelsea, was but little appreciated, and nearly 
received a similar fate. Thirty-six years after the old purple 
variety reached the shores of France, there were not more 
than fifteen varieties cultivated, and these of no particular 
merit either in form or color. Few French florists at that 
period were interested in its culture, and consequently we 
should give due credit to the English for first appreciating its 
value as an autumn flower, and giving it so prominent a posi- 
tion in its early days. 

This treatment by the French, however, was not universal, 
for Monsieur Noisette, who visited England in 1824, was pre- 
sented with twenty-seven varieties from the gardens of the 
horticultural society. Another distinguished lover of horti- 
culture, having thrown down the sword for the trowel and 



i8 Chrysanthemum Culture for America. 

hoe had grown chrysanthemums for some years prior to that 
date. This man, the celebrated Captain Bernet, was without 
doubt the first person in Europe to raise the chrysanthemum 
from seed, having produced several fine varieties in the year 
1827. Encouraged by his first success, which attached him 
more and more to his favorite plants, he saw his collection 
annually increase by the addition of many new varieties. 
Three years after this event an experienced nurseryman got 
possession of an entire set of Captain Bernet's new chrysan- 
themums, and propagated them for sale. Thus it was from 
1830 to 1836 that his novelties were disseminated among the 
plant dealers in Paris and abroad. The French chrysan- 
themum growers are still very proud of Captain Bernet's 
achievements with their favorite plant, and dub him with the 
Washingtonian appellation of "Father of the Chrysanthe- 
mum." There still remain in commerce a few of the varie- 
ties raised by him, but they are grown more as heirlooms than 
for any value they possess, being catalogued only by a florist 
who claims to be a grandson of Captain Bernet's old gardener. 

For the past twenty-five years those French florists who 
have taken, up the culture of the chrysanthemum have been 
working at their improvement steadily and surely. They have 
not only produced varieties greatly superior to any of their 
early sorts, but they have been instrumental in producing va- 
rieties which, in briUiancy of color, may be said to be unpar- 
alleled. 

The most prominent growers in France of late years are 
Simon Delaux, M. de Reydellet, Dr. Audiguer, the producer of 
Soliel Levant ; Mons. F. Marranch, Mons. J. M. Pigny, Dr. 
Barrie ; Victor Lemoine, who raised Fulgore, several pompons 
and large flowering varieties ; Mons. Boulanger, who sent out 
Gloria de Mazaryue and several other sorts not generally 
grown in this country, and Mons. Bernard, who sent out 
Gloria Rayonnante, M. Fremy, Reine Margot, and who also 



Oriental ajid European History. ig 

produced a few pompons ; Mons. Boucharlat, noted princi- 
pally for his pompons, which belonged chiefiy to the lilliputian 
class ; Mons. Lacroix — not to be confounded with an amateur 
of the same name — a comparatively recent grower, whose best 
known flowers are Parasol, M'd'lle Lacroix, Flocon de Neige, 
Jeanne d'Arc and Fabias de Mediana ; Mons. Marrouch, to 
whom we are indebted for Madame Clemence Audiguer, Mar- 
guerite Marrouch, Mons. Marrouch, Madame Clos and others ; 
Mons. Pertuzes, whose flowers are not very well known in 
America, except Timbal de Argent and Triumph de la Rue 
des Chalets. 

In the year 1850, so far as we can learn, those little gems, 
the anemone pompons, were first shown. The first were 
Eucharis, Medee, and Thisbe, all being distributed by M. 
Bonamay, of Toulouse. 

The most eminent of all the French growers is Mons. Simon 
Delaux^ St. Martin du Tauch, near Toulouse, whose successes 
have been most brilliantl}' exhibited in the Japanese varieties, 
and to him the author is deeply indebted for much valuable 
information regarding his favorite flower in the sunny land of 
France. The name of Delaux is a guaranty of merit in a 
chrysanthemum, and his productions are admired and culti- 
vated upon both hemispheres. Such varieties as Tokio, M. 
Boyer, Royal Aquarium, Rose Laing, Bouquet Fait,Eclatarete, 
Jeanne Delaux, Mons. Tarin, will long perpetuate the mem- 
ory of this noted cultivator. It is difficult to find, at any of 
our exhibitions, the smallest stand of cut blooms or collection 
of plants that does not contain some originated by this emi- 
nent florist. Mons. de Reydellet ranks second to his great 
rival and fellow-countryman, M. Delaux. Mons. Reydellet is 
not a professional florist, but an amateur grower of new seed- 
lings, La Triumphant and Marsa being two which are well 
known in America. 

To American growers it will seem strange that such a thing 



20 Chrysanthemum Culture for America, 

as a chrysanthemum society does not exist in France. We 
quote from a letter of Messrs. Lemoine and Fils, Nancy, 
dated July 9, 1890, in which they kindly give the following in- 
formation : ''We have no chrysanthemum society in France, 
but the numerous horticultural societies in our country are 
much interested in chrysanthemums, and nearly every one 
has a chrysanthemum show at the proper season. Pot-grown 
plants are generally exhibited ; cut flowers in small quantities 
only. Here we do not grow the specimens for exhibition, as 
the practice is in England and America. We do not care for 
the enormous flowers that English florists obtain, or huge 
plants with only a few blooms upon them. Here the plants 
are treated to give the largest number of blooms, and in the 
most natural way. New varieties of chrysanthemums are no^ 
very largely produced in France, except in the southern por- 
tions. Here in Nancy we have a severe climate, and it is 
nearly impossible to get seeds of the double varieties. Per- 
sonally, we have sent out some good novelties, but the seed 
that yielded them was not our own. There is no country 
where there is so large a quantity of novelties raised annually 
as in France. For instance, this year, Simon Delaux, of Tolouse, 
offers 24 new varieties of his own production ; M. de Re3'dellet, 
of Valance, 18 novelties ; M. Louis Lacroix, 25 varieties; M. 
Rozain Bouchariet, of Lyons, 14 novelties ; M. Host, of 
Lyons, 7 novelties; M. Santel, of Salon, near Marseilles, 12 
novelties, besides a number raised by Etienne Lacroix, M. 
Bernard, Pertuzes and Audiguer, of Tolouse, and others. Over 
two hundred novelties are annually produced in the south of 
France, principally of the Japanese and Chinese forms." 

From this we note that the large blooms and specimens of 
plants so common at our shows here are not seen in France, 
and, judging from the schedule of prizes of some of the dif- 
ferent exhibitions at hand, their culture is not encouraged. 
The arrangement of plants for the best effect is one of the 



Oriental and European History. 21 

leading points in the award of premiums. The French seem 
also particularly partial to the Japanese varieties, and ever 
since their introduction by Mr. Robert Fortune, they have 
excited a great interest among the florists. From 1870 to 
1880 there were but few incurved flowers distributed from 
France, and at that time it seemed as if they would excel all 
other countries in the production of the Japanese varieties. 
Happily, however, in our ow^n climate, a Thorpe a Walcott, a 
Harris, and a Spaulding have supplied our need, and the pro- 
duction of these men is eminently satisfactory to the Ameri- 
can cultivator. It wih, however, be many years even if no 
further advance be made by the French, before their contribu- 
tion to our collections will play an insignificant part in our 
gardens and exhibition halls. 

One great objection, frequently, and not without reason, 
advanced against the French productions, is that they are far 
too numerous to be uniformly good, thus incurring a waste of 
time and money to those who distribute them in England and 
America. It is to be regretted, too, that the French taste, 
though refined, differs from us somewhat in floriculture. Had 
their energies been turned more to specimen plants and exhi- 
bition blooms, or had they learned to appreciate the value of 
the incurved section, it is difficult to imagine how great would 
have been the results in these directions. They have, not- 
withstanding these ideas, given us a new type, and one capa- 
ble of considerable development — the Japanese anemone, a 
result of intelligent crossing. M. Marrauch, who died a few 
years ago, was one of the successful producers of this new 
class. The}^ are at present wanting in high tones of color, 
compared with their congeners of the common Japanese type, 
but their number is steadily increasing, and if duly appreciated 
greater results may be attained. Several new growers have 
of late come into notice in France, and we shall probably hear 
more from their labors in the future, as their enthusiasm in 



22 Chrysanthemufn Cidture for America. 

the culture of the chrysanthemum meets with its due reward. 

In the year 1779 M. Blanchard, a merchant of Marseilles, 
imported three plants frem China, but out of these three only 
one — a purple flower — reached France alive. This is the one 
of which Ramatuelle published an account, calling it, as pre- 
viously quoted, AntJiemis grandiflora, having satisfied himself 
and the French botanists that it could not be the C. indicum 
of Linnaeus. In the following year M. Cels, a Parisian nur- 
seryman of considerable repute, sent to the Royal Gardens at 
Kew what was the first large-flowering chrysanthemum in 
modern times, known either in England or on the continent. 
In November, 1795, it bloomed at Chelsea, at the nursery of 
Messrs. Colville, a firm much noted in after years for the 
beauty of their chrysanthemums. No other variety was known 
for several 3'ears, until 1798, when between that year and 1808, 
eight new varieties were imported, one by Mr. Thomas Evans 
of Stepheny, and the remaining seven by Sir Abraham Hume. 
To these nine varieties a tenth was added, namely the change- 
able white, a sport from the old purple of 1802. In 1798, the 
rose and buff were introduced; in 1802, the golden yellow, 
and the sulphur yellow; in 1806, the Spanish brown ; in 1808, 
the quilled white and the large lilac. Of these the sulphur 
yellow was the one imported by Mr. Evans, and the other seven 
were imported through the agency of Sir A. Hume. 

Between the years 1808 and 181 6, there was another sus- 
pension of importations, but in the latter year and up to 1823 
there were several new varieties introduced. For the first few 
decades in the present century there was scarcely an}^ plant 
half so popular as the Chinese chrysanthemum, and as it had 
then attracted considerable attention and become a favorite 
flower it began to sell for a high price. The Messrs. Colville, 
who were the first to succeed in producing blooms of the pur- 
ple chrysanthemum — which it may be easily imagined have 
little resemblance to those we see at the present time — were 



Oriental and Eu7'opean History. 23 

as proud of their success at that period as if they had raised a 
Culhngfordii or a Violet Rose. The interest of the zealous 
gardeners of England having now been excited, they were 
induced to continue the introduction of additional sorts. Mr. 
John Reeves, a tea buyer for the East India Company, in 
addition to the two gentlemen already named, was among the 
most active men in enlarging the list. About this period 
others began to take an interest, and Mr. Reeves, who acted 
as a correspondent at Canton of the Horticultural Society, 
sent to England in 1820 twelve kinds, so that the next 3'ear 
opened with good prospects for those whose interest had 
been the cause of their advent. In the autumn of that year 
twelve varieties, all whose habits and character of flowers 
were then ascertained, were grown in the gardens of the Hor- 
ticultural Society of London. Aided by the friendly exertions 
of Mr. Reeves and the commanders of the China ships, new 
varieties were continually being brought to England, though 
unfortunately many entire consignments were lost on the wa}'. 
At the beginning of 1824, twenty-seven well known sorts 
which had been thoroughly tested and approved, had been 
represented in various botanical works. In 1826 the Horti- 
cultural Society's collection comprised forty-eight distinct 
kinds, four of which were sports which originated in Eng- 
land. 

During the year 1824, Mr. Parks, who was sent to China 
by the Horticultural Society, forwarded many varieties to 
England at different times, among which was the Yellow War- 
atah, a variety entirely different from all the others, and sup- 
posed to be the precursor of the large-flowered anemone sec- 
tion. Up to this date eighteen sorts had been engraved in 
works like the Botanical Magazi?ie and the Bota?tical Register, 
but with the exception of one or two, they have gradually dis- 
appeared. Donald Monroe, gardener to the Horticultur- 
al Society some 3^ears later, gives a list of fort3^-nine dis- 



24 Chrysantliemtcm Cuitiire for Aincrica. 

tinct sorts of the Chinese varieties, enumerating all the sorts 
to which allusion has been made. In the autumn of 1825 a 
brilliant display of chrysanthemums was held in the Horticul- 
tural Society's garden at Chiswick, through the exertion of its 
devoted secretary, Mr. Sabine. Pot grown plants to the num- 
ber of seven hundred, were in flower on that occasion. This 
display gave a great impetus to its cultivation, so that from 
this period the people became fully awake to the beauty and 
usefulness of the chrysanthemum, as an invaluable autumn 
flower. 

Among those who in after years developed the chrysanthe- 
mum in England, the name of Samuel Broome stands pre- 
eminent. In 1832 he obtained employment as gardener at 
the Inner Temple, and gave much attention to the chr\'san- 
themum, his annual display acquiring a world-wide reputa- 
tion. He also published a book, '' Culture of the Chrysanthe- 
mum," in 1857, which was many times reprinted, and is still 
worthy of respect for its sound teachings, and should be on 
the shelf of every chrysanthemum grower. 

The first chrysanthemum exhibition in England was held in 
Birmingham in 1836, of which there is but little record. In 
1843 the people of Norwich also inaugurated a chrysanthe- 
mum show, but it was not until three years later that the first 
chrysanthemum society of importance was formed. 

In an old fashioned hostelry known as the '• Rochester Cas- 
tle," in a rural suburb of Stoke Newington, where the trades- 
men loved to gather every evening, a chrysanthemum associa- 
tion was formed, which was the first to endure to the present 
day. Mr. Robert James, landlord of the '^ Rochester," a 
first rate host, an able florist and a man of broad sympathies, 
had made chrysanthemums his favorites, and had at that time 
a collection of twenty-five sorts that he cared for as pets and 
of which he was very proud. The talk at the inn turned to 
-loriculture, as it often did, and an exhibition of chrysanthe- 



Oriental a?id European History. 25 

mums was determined upon, Robert James leading the move- 
ment as treasurer and advocate ; and he was ever known as 
fatlier of the first chrysanthemum show. This association 
was known as the Stoke Newington, later the Borough of 
Hackney Florists' Society, and still more recently, the National 
Chrysanthemum Society. For many years it prospered under 
its original name, which was afterwards discarded for that of 
the Borough of Hackney. Owing to the large number of new 
members, and to extend the sphere of the society's work, it 
was finally given the name of the National Chrysanthemum 
Society. This society, in addition to the usual November 
show, now holds each year exhibitions of early flowering 
chrysanthemums, as well as conducting exhibitions in the 
chief provincial cities. The society's official catalogue is 
accepted as the standard for all questions of classification and 
nomenclature, and is an excellent book of reference for chrys- 
anthemum growers in either England or America, 

As if by magic every important town in England followed 
this example, and at the present time nearly every town and 
village has its chrysanthemum show. 

Mr. John Salter also did much to advance the interest of 
the autumn queen in England, his name being to the present 
day most pleasantly associated with the chrysanthemum and 
familiar to growers on both sides of the Atlantic. He first 
commenced his horticultural career as an amateur at Shep- 
herd's Bush, near London, but afterwards removed to Ver- 
sailles, France, where the climate was more congenial to the 
cultivation of liis favorite flower. He was personally ac- 
(juainted with many of the French and other growers and 
knew far more of the progress of foreign growers than any 
man in England in his day. His work ''The Chrysanthe- 
mum, Its History and Culture," published twenty-five years 
ago, is still, notwithstanding its age, a book of much value. 
From it we learn that, finding the climate of France more 



26 Chrysanthemum Culture for A?nerica. 

suitable for the purpose of raising seedling chrysanthemums, 
Mr. Salter went to Versailles in 1838 for the purpose of estab- 
lishing a nursery to enable him to accomplish his design. He 
imported from England most of the Jersey and Norfolk seed- 
lings, to which he added 250 of the best French sorts, so that 
in 1840 the number of varieties he had in cultivation amounted 
to between 300 and 400. Five years after his establishment 
in France, Mr. Salter produced his first seedling, ''Annie Sal- 
ter," in the nursery at Versailles, which he sent out in 1844, 
and which is well known at the present time. In 1847 the 
''Queen of England" followed, which is considered a good 
variety to-day, although forty years old. The French revolu- 
tion of 1848, with its social changes, necessitated Mr. Salter's 
return to his native land, where he died in 1874. 

Up to 1865 the influx of the new varieties of incurved, 
reflexed, and large anemone flowers continued, and many of 
our favorites appeared at the date, viz : Cherub, John Salter, 
Lady Slade, Nil Desperandum, White Christine, Cleopatra and 
others. The chrysanthemum was now probably a more popu- 
lar flower than ever. Societies had sprung up all over the 
country, and during November the exhibitions were thronged 
by thousands of admirers. Some years elapsed after the intro- 
duction of the Japanese sorts before they became common, 
or before seedlings were raised from the new varieties. They 
were, however, not much admired by old school florists, who 
contemptuously dubbed them "ragged jacks," on account of 
their curious forms and irregular petals. It is believed that 
those originally introduced were Grandiflorum, Golden 
Dragon, Bronze Dragon, Striatum, Laciniatum and Roseum 
Punctatum. One of these died on the way, but was afterwards 
reproduced from seed of the survivors. Previous to the year 
1866, no seedlings were distributed from the Japanese sorts, 
and probably the first of them were Aurantium, Countess de 
Boregard, Gold Thread, Mad. Godilott, Tarantula, and 



Oriental and Europeaii History. 27 

Tycoon. Ihe varieties belonging to this section were in 
those days rather incHned to be later bloomers than the chrys- 
anthemums generall}^ grown. B}' some they were looked 
upon as likely to be serviceable for conservatory decoration, 
but fit for nothing else, as their defiance of all canons of good 
taste placed them quite beyond the pale of a flower show ; 
and there were not a few who regarded them as veritable 
abominations, judged by the chrysanthemum fanc}' then in 
vogue. 

Now that the present generation have become accustomed 
to the fantastic form of these wonderful floral triumphs, and 
their brilliancy of color, to which the chrysanthemum owes 
much of its popularity at the present day, it is amusing to 
read what was prophesied about them twenty-three years ago. 
A correspondent in the Florist and Pomologist in 1866 says: 
'' I fear that the new Japanese flowers recently introduced by 
Mr. Fortune will scarcely become favorites with any of us. 
They are loose, ungainly looking things, with colors by no 
means attractive, and the less said about their form the bet- 
ter. They may possibly be turned b3-and-by to account by 
the hybridizers ; but as a class, unless there can be some very 
marked improvements in them, they will soon be discarded." 

What has been the result ? Out of the original seven, five 
have remained in cultivation to the present day, and two of 
these, Grandifiorum and Golden Dragon, rank among the best 
that have been produced since. In view of such a revolution 
as this, prophetic words for the future must be given with a 
due regard to the fickle tastes of the public. 

In 1866, Mr. George Glenny, writing of form in the chrys- 
anthemum, says : *' The flower ought in form to be one-half or 
two-thirds of a sphere, the center compact and outline round, 
the whole face symmetrical and close, and the petals free from 
notches at the end. The reflexed petal is inferior to the 
cupped or incurved, but if the flower be of proper form when 



28 ^ ChfyMnthemu77t Culhcre for America. 

shawn it loses only one point." Such was the standard of 
excellence in the ''good old times " for a chrysanthemum, but 
now it is far removed from what Mr. Glenny describes as his 
ideal. In England, however, the incurved and reflexed varie- 
ties are still justly popular, but with us the ''Jap*' is still 
supreme. We will not attempt to peer into the future ; popu- 
lar taste is too inconstant, and the successful grower who 
would see the chr3^santhemum maintain its present foremost 
position must be ever ready to avail himself of new ideas in 
seeding, growing and showing, and attracting public atten- 
tion in some way to the beauty and usefulness of the flower. 

In 1 88 1, Messrs. Veitch & Sons of London imported from 
Japan six new sorts, called Ben d' Or, Comte de Germin}', 
Duchess of Connaught, Thunberg, and others, all of which are 
well known. Messrs. Mahood & Son were also successful in 
raising some very fine seedlings in England, as were Mr. Run- 
die, Mr. Bull, Mr. Cullingford, Mr. N. Davis, Mr. George 
Stevens, and Mr. Teedesdale, whose flowers can be found 
described in any catalogue of chrysanthemums. The names 
also of Joseph Dale, Isaac Wheeler, Edwin Merry, Robert 
James, Adam Forsyth, George Taylor and George Glenny 
will long be remembered in the chrysanthemum lore of Eng- 
land for their devotion to this favorite flower. Happily the 
succeeding generation has produced men to take up their 
labors, and the admirers of the autumn queen have suffered 
little in the change. With such men as Mr. C. Harman 
Payne, a master of the literature of the subject, and Mr. 
Edwin Molyneaux, the champion grower of cut flowers, Mr. 
Wm. Holmes, Mr. C. Ochard, and Mr. Robert Owen in the 
lead, we may expect to see great results. 

Considerable attention has also been given the chrysanthe- 
mum in the islands of the English Channel. In 1836 Mons. 
Lebois, an amateur in Jersey, turned his attention to the rais- 
ing of seedlings, and produced some marked improvements. 



Orie7ital and European History. 29 

He was so extraordinarily fortunate in their cultivation that 
he raised upwards of five hundred seedlings, which he sold to 
Mr. Chandler, of the Vauxhall nurseries, and a considerable 
number of them were known twenty-five years ago. 

According to a correspondent of Mr. Burbridge, the pro- 
ducer of the first seedlings in the Channel Islands, was a baker, 
and had his plants trained to the wall behind the oven. Oth- 
ers soon followed, among them Messrs. Clarke, Davis, Peth- 
ers. Smith and Wolsley, while in latter 3^ears, ]\Ir. Dawnton 
and Major Carey have contributed some very favorite sorts. 
In Mr. Salter's catalogue of chrysanthemums more than half 
appeared to be of Guernsey and Jersey origin. Our friends 
in the Channel Islands have done but little in recent 3'ears, 
compared with their former efforts, in raising new seedlings, 
although it is not entirely neglected. Mr. Smith has long 
since discontinued the growing of chr3^santhemums from seed. 
Mr. Pethers, who went to the Cape of Good Hope, seemed 
not to have resumed its culture upon his return, and Mr. 
Clarke has been dead for several years. Mr. Davis, whose 
name is deserving of more than a passing notice from having 
obtained Prince Alfred, Prince of Wales and Princess of 
Wales, no longer devotes himself to the work. Mr. James 
Dawnton, the raiser of Elaine and Fair Maid of Guernsey, 
will be longest remembered of the Channel Island growers. 
Notwithstanding the lull in seedling growing at present, the 
chrysanthemum still has many friends and cultivators in these 
islands. Their first exhibition was held in 1865. 

Belgium had its first chrysanthemum show in the autumn 
of 1866, which was organized by the Royal Agricultural 
Society of Ghent, and has been repeated in succeeding years, 
others having followed at Liego, Antwerp, and Tournay. 

It is a matter of some difficult}^ to trace the work of 
chrysanthemum culture in Germany, but it is safe to assume 
that it was of some importance there in 1832, and has, we 



30 Chrysa7ithe?Jtu77i Culture for America. 

believe,, been steadily gaining in favor to the present time. 
It is not generally known that the first independent work on 
the chrysanthemum was written by a German, who had a col- 
lection of the new flowers, in which were comprised most, if 
not all, those in cultivation in England and France, all of 
which are carefully described. 

Up to the year 1854 no universal standard of merit in the 
blooms was adopted, every one having his own peculiar ideas 
of a good flower. A standard at that time adopted by the 
Stoke Newington Chrysanthemum Society, which was the 
same as that suggested by Mr. Glenny. 



CHAPTER II. 



American History. 

rHUS far we have hurriedly glanced at the early his- 
tory of the chrysanthemum in the far east, in Eng- 
land, in France and the Channel Islands, and now 
the author comes home to our own chrysanthemums, 
with all their profusion of beauty. Their size, form, and 
color are probably unequalled in their original home in the far 
east. They are so refined by crossing, and strengthened by 
climate and culture, that their superiority has been univer- 
sally acknowledged. Never before during its history has the 
cultivator been able to produce an3'thing as fine as the blooms 
that are now raised beneath American skies and shown in 
the exhibition halls of our large cities. 

The climate of the northern states is more conducive to the 
growth of individual plants under the care of the diligent cul- 
tivator. More care has to be exercised through the long dr}^ 
summers of the south to produce fine specimens, but as an 
out-door flower, adapted to the gardens of all, one must go to 
the southern states to see them in their wild and promiscuous 
beauty. 

It must have been long after the landing of the Pilgrim 
fathers that the chrysanthemum reached our shores, after a 
checkered voyage from the far east, probably about the year 

(30 



32 Chrysa7ithe7num Culture for America. 

1810, perhaps earlier ; but at that time it obtained Httle atten- 
tion, as its beauties were undeveloped and its praises unsung. 
Its early history upon our continent is lost, and it is not pos- 
sible to say with any certainty who first cultivated it in the 
the new world. 

What little antiquity we have in America in relation to the 
chrysanthemum clusters around the classic precincts of '-The 
Hub," although if record could be found, the writer is confi- 
dent that several old North and South Carolina, as well as 
Virginia gardens, might justly dispute the claim, as we find 
from ''the oldest inhabitant " that a variety of the small 3'ellow 
chrysanthemum was common in each of those places eighty 
years ago. These points in the history of our favorite flower 
must long remain a matter of conjecture, but that it has come, 
and come to stay, is a matter long since past discussion. 
Being cultivated in England in 1795, not a long period could 
have elapsed before it became known in America. 

The'florists of our large eastern cities were always so active 
in obtaining novelties from their eastern correspondents, that 
it was doubtless but a few years from the time of its introduc- 
tion into England until its roots were firmly planted in Ameri- 
can soil. 

For many years it obtained much less attention than in the 
countries of the old world. Within the past twenty years, 
however, the popularity of the flower has advanced at a steady 
rate until it is now supreme in the home garden, the exhibi- 
tion hall and the conservatory. With such a command of 
climate as the American continent affords, the entire culture 
has been thoroughly mastered, including the propagation by 
seed. Its wonderful development in the past ten years, in the 
hands of American cultivators, is phenemonal for so brief a 
period. Though beginning so recently, we are rapidly becom- 
ing rivals of the countries in which it originated. 

Ten years ago but few chrysanthemums were cultivated 



American History, 23 

here, and those were probably imported from England. Now- 
all is changed, and importations from China and Japan are 
easily and frequently made, seedlings are raised the equal of 
any in the old world, and new kinds, as they appear, are 
introduced from Europe. Thus American chrysanthemum 
fanciers are supplied at the present day w^ith each new and 
bcr.mtiful variety as soon as it appears regardless of the source 
from whicn it comes. 

With such a wealth of charms, both native and exotic, 
annually unfolded before a people with whom beauty and 
merit are so quickly appreciated, it is not so surprising to find 
that the chrysanthemum has extended in a few years into 
every portion of our country. In all sections the chrysanthe- 
mum is now a reigning favorite, and American florists claim a 
fair share of credit in developing its beauties. 

The first name to be mentioned in connection with chrysan- 
themum history in America is that of Dr. H. P. Walcott, of 
Cambridge, Mass., who was the first American, either ama- 
teur or professional, to raise new seedlings of our favorite 
flower. His first seedlings were produced in 1879 from seed 
ripened in his own garden, and were exhibited in Boston in 
the autumn of that year, at the show of the Massachusetts 
Horticultural Society, where they attracted but little atten- 
tion. Dr. Walcott has since that time exhibited more or less 
every year, and h-as usually raised about three hundred seed- 
lings each season, many of which have received the highest 
awards of the ex-hibition, such as medals and certificates of 
merit. As Dr. Walcott is not a professional florist, but one 
of those who engages in this work as a labor of love, he does 
not make it a matter of business to distribute his novelties, 
so that they have not become very prominent until the past 
two years, when Messrs. Pitcher & Manda, of Short Hills, 
New Jersey, offered them in their special and extensive cata- 
logue of chrysanthemums. Most of these varieties are of 



34 Chrvsantheniiwi Culture fc?' America. 

decided merit, and have met with the approval they so well 
deserve. The following is a list of those which Dr. Walcott 
considers his best : 

R. Walcott, Shasta, Savannah, Wenonah, Monadnock, 
Semiramis, Alaska, Pontiac, Ramona, Nevada, Cambridge, 
Tacoma. 

^ As will be seen from the names of his seedlings, Dr. Wal- 
cott has started a reform in chrysanthemum nomenclature 
that deserves the attention of all raisers of new varieties. 
The names should be as short as possible, and such names as 
Alaska, Shasta and Cortez are preferable to such lengthy 
appellations as Bronze, Queen of England, Hero of Stokes 
Newington, or Monsieur le Comte de Faucher de Cariel ; and 
to have names that can be written on one label, is of itself a 
great convenience. 

The name of Wm. K. Harris, of Philadelphia, also figures 
prominently among the pioneers of chrysanthemum culture 
on this side of the Atlantic, and it is safe to say that within 
the past ten years Mr. Harris has produced more varieties 
which are now considered standard kinds than all our other 
growers together. His first seedling of merit, Mrs. Wm. 
Sheaf er, was sent out in 1881, and was awarded a certificate 
of merit by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Societ}^ and in 1882, 
he sent out White Dragon, which was awarded a certificate of 
merit by the Royal Chrysanthemum Society of England in 
1886. In 1885, Mr. H. W^aterer sent out Puritan, Miss C. Har- 
ris, John M. Hughes, Miss Meredith, and Mrs. R. Mason, 
and in 1886, Wonderful, Robt. Crawford, Mrs. John Wana- 
maker, Thos. Cartledge, Alfred Warne, Mrs. Anthony 
Waterer and Lucrece, all of which were produced by Mr. 
Harris. Each season his productions were increasing, so 
that in 1887, Mr. Robt. Craig came to the assistance of Mr. 
Waterer in disseminating the productions of this eminent 
grower. During that year Mr. Craig sent out L. Canning, 



American History. -jr 

Beaut}- of Kingsessing, Eikshorn, Mrs. G. \V. Coleman, 
Mrs. A. Blanc, and Mrs. Wni. Howell, while Mr. Waterer 
distributed Wm. Dewar, Public Ledger, Stars and Stripes, 
Magnet, Mont Blanc, Colossal, Mrs. Sam Houston and Miss 
Anna Hartshorne. Mrs. Joel J. Bailey, which won the fifty 
dollar silver cup offered by the Pennsylvania Plorticultural So- 
ciety, was also sent out this year. In 1888, Mr. Craig sent out 
Sunnyside, Mrs. T. C. Price, Mrs. M. J. Thomas, Mrs. John 
N. May, W. W. Coles, Mrs. A. C. Burpee and others, while 
in this same year, Mr. Waterer distributed Excellent and 
Robt. Craig, also from the hands of I\Ir. Harris, and in i88g, 
he sent Mrs. W. K. Harris— which took first prize for best 
seedling offered by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society — 
Violet Rose, Ivory, Mrs. Irving Clark, Advance, Mountain of 
Snow, Miss Mary Wheeler and others too numerous too allow 
individual mention. This \'ear Messrs. Hill& Co., of Richmond? 
Ind., sent out of his raising C. A. Reeser, John Lane, Mrs. 
Winthrop Sargent, Carry Denny, Reward, Model, Twilight 
and White Cap. The colors and tints which were unknown 
in this flower a decade ago are now found in all of these varie- 
ties. Maroons, crimsons, rose, pink and buff have become 
more decided, and vv^ith such progress as this in another 
decade, the production of a scarlet flower is not to be de- 
spaired of by those who have done most in our favored climate 
to bring out the newer and formerly unknown shades. 

In 1883, Mr. H. Waterer, of Philadelphia, brought an 
importation from Japan of some fifty varieties, many of which 
were most distinct and beautiful, which gave a new impulse 
to h3'bridizing, as from that time to the present, the new 
kinds that have appeared annuall}- are almost numberless. 
Among those imported from Japan by Mr. Waterer, we find 
the following very excellent sorts : Gloriosum, Mrs. C. H. 
Wheeler, Marvel, J. Collins, Duchess, H. Waterer, Pres. 
Arthur, Snowstorm, Mrs. Geo. Bullock, Mrs. Vannaman, The 



36 Chrysanthemum Culture for America. 

Bride, Hon. John Welsh, Jessica, Mrs. Frank Thomson, 
and others. 

As another successful raiser of chrysanthemums, the name 
of Mr. T. H. Spaulding, of Orange, N. J., will long hold an 
important place among the chrysanthemum growers in 
America. This gentleman sent out his first seedling in 1886, 
and each year since then many excellent varieties of his pro- 
duction have been placed upon the market. In 1888 he sent 
out Geo. McClure, Mrs. John Pettit, Cloth of Gold, Eleanor 
Oakley, E. S. Renwick, Glad3^s Spaulding, Juno, R. E. Jen- 
nings and others. In 1889, George Atkinson, Commotion, 
Tusaka, Takaki, Mrs. Judge Benedict, We Wa, Brynwood, 
and many others were produced and disseminated by Mr. 
Spaulding, and during the present year the new English prize 
chrysanthemum, Mrs. S. Coleman, and his own seedling, Ada 
Spaulding, are being distributed. The latter was awarded the 
National prize in November, i88g, presented by Mrs. President 
Harrison, at Indianapolis ; also a certificate of merit by the 
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society ; first premium by the New 
Jersey Horticultural Society, and medal of excellence by the 
American Institute, N. Y. It is a cross between Puritan and 
Mrs. Wanamaker ; of robust habit ; a rich deep pink, shading in 
upper portion to the purest pearl white ; globular in shape and 
neither Japanese nor Chinese in form. Mr. Spaulding is also 
introducing this year the following varieties of his own grow- 
ing : Addie Decker, Maria Ward, Garnet, Mrs. Thomas A. 
Edison, Jas. R. Pitcher, Cyclone, Zenobie, and others. 

The following varieties, the first five imported from Japan 
by Mr. John Thorpe, and the others grown by him, were also 
first distributed by Mr. Spaulding : G. F. Moseman, Mrs. T. 
H. Spaulding, Sokoto, Leopard, Mrs. J. N. Gerard ; Pauline, 
Coronet, Dango Zaka, G. P. Rawson and Peculiarity, together 
with Miss Sue Waldron and Snowdrift, grown by Mr. J. N. 
Gerard, of EUzabeth, N. J., and Sunset, Mrs. Wm. Barr, Miss 



American History. 37 

Alice Brown, and Fannie Block, grown by William Barr, of 
Orange, N. J. There are also many other excellent varieties, 
either raised or disseminated by Mr. Spaulding, that chrysan- 
themum lovers now enjoy, several of the seedlings of Messrs. 
Lord, Allen and HoUis being among them. 

There is no commercial house in New England more favor- 
ably known to chrysanthemum growers than that of E. Fewkes 
& Sons, of Newton Highlands, Mass. At one time these gen- 
tlemen held the entire stock of Mrs. Alpheus Hardy, and were 
the first to flower and exhibit it in America ; they still retain 
the silver medal awarded to its first bloom by the Massachu- 
setts Horticultural Society. It was also from this bloom the 
first cut was made that illustrated the horticultural papers 
and catalogues at that time. 

The first varieties offered in 1868 by Messrs. Fewkes 
met with but little sale, and out of their entire collection^ 
we are informed, the variety White Treveana, a small 
double white flower, was the only one that commanded 
even a passing attention. The house of Edwin Fewkes & 
Sons has steadily kept pace with the increasing interest in the 
chrysanthemum, and to their skill as growers and enterprise 
as importers we are indebted for the following excellent varie- 
ties : Wm. H. Lincoln, Kioto, Neesima, Lilian B. Bird, Mrs. 
Fottler, Belle Hickey, Emmie Ricker, Nippon Medusa, S. B. 
Dana, Marian, Clarence, Bryant, Emily Selinger, Flora, 
Nahanton, H. A. Gane, Jno. Webster, James F. Mann, Liz- 
zie Gannon, Pres. Hyde, and chief of all, the far-famed Mrs. 
Alpheus Hardy. 

The enterprise also of Messrs. Pitcher & Manda, of Short 
Hills, N. J., has given much to the lovers of chrysanthemums 
on this continent. In 1889 this firm imported from Japan 
and distributed the following varieties : Rohallion, Passaic, 
Kansas, Arizona, Ithaca, Raleigh, Jean Humphreys, and Mrs. 
Cornelius Vanderbilt. The following of their own production 



38 Ckrysa7ithemu?7i Culture for America. 

have also been distributed : Bohemia, Indiana, lona, lowa^ 
Iroquois, Oneida, Mohawk, Virginia, Pequot, Minnewawa, 
Connecticut and Mrs. DeWitt Smith. It was this firm also 
that secured the entire stock of Mrs. Alpheus Hardy from 
Edwin Few^kes & Son, and first distributed it to the public. 

The progress of chrysanthemum growing in America can 
riot well be written without mention of the firm of V. H. 
Hallock & Son, Queens, Long Island. To these gentlemen 
we owe the origin of many excellent sorts, to the number of 
which they are constantly adding, as is evidenced by the list 
of new varieties that are offered annually to the public through 
their catalogues. This year (1890) they offer twenty new varie- 
ties in one collection for the first time. Among the varieties 
which they have been instrumental in giving to the public are 
Mrs. Langtry, W. Falconer, Whirlwind, Pagoda, Sadie Mar- 
tinot, Frank Wilcox, T. F. Martin, Moonflower, Mrs. Cleve- 
land, F. T. McFadden, Mrs. Potter, Edwin Booth, Prince 
Kamoutska and V. H. Hallock. 

The name of John Thorpe is well known to chrysanthemum 
lovers throughout America, as well as in England. While 
associated with Messrs. Hallock & Son, he produced some 
excellent varieties, and sent out his first seedlings in 1883. 
He is to-day the leading spirit in the progress of chrysanthe- 
mum culture in this country. Since he severed his connec- 
tion with the firm of Hallock & Son and located at Pearl 
River, in the same state, he has perhaps given chrysanthe- 
mums more attention than at any other period of his life. 

Through his instrumentality the National Chr3/santhemum 
Society of America was organized in 1889, a society of which 
he has the honor of being president. Mr. Thorpe was the 
producer of that most desirable variety, Mrs. Andrew Carnegie, 
winner of the Carnegie Silver Cup in New York in 1888, which 
is one of the best cf its color at the present time. It is a 
matter of the deepest regret to the writer that he has not been 



American History. -^g 

able to elicit from Mr. Thorpe more information regarding his 
seedlings, and other matters of interest in connection with 
chr3sant]iemum liistory in the United States, of which we are 
sure he has a wealth of information. 

While the culture of the chrysanthemum has extended to 
every state and territory, the work of producing new varieties 
is confined to a very limited area. Perhaps nowhere in 
America are more chrysanthemums grown than in the vicinity 
of Philadelphia, where the climate seems to be particularly 
well suited to their highest development. The amateurs and 
professional gardeners around the Quaker City have produced 
many desirable kinds. Thomas Monahan, a private gar^ 
dener produced last season an admirable variety, w^hich he 
named in honor of President Harrison. Thomas Carey, 
Henry Surman, Wm. Jamieson and James McCleary, all 
private gardeners, are growers of importance in Philadelphia. 
W. C. Pyfer, formerly of Lancaster, in the same state, has 
produced many seedlings of merit, but he is now located in 
California, w^here we trust the good work will go on, and be 
even more successful. 

With the exception of a small portion of Indiana, the chrys- 
anthemum raising section of America does not extend over an 
area of two hundred square miles. A beU of country from 
Boston, Mass., taking in a portion of New York and New 
Jersey to Philadelphia, would comprise the nursery from 
which is disseminated all that is new and beautiful in Ameri- 
can seedlings. The west has but little to add in new varie- 
ties, excepting some importations of Messrs. Hill & Co., of 
Richmond, Ind., and a number of seedlings from Messrs. 
Rieman and Dorner in the same state. What is lacking in 
the w^est, however, in the production of new varieties, is amply 
atoned for by the superior development of the varieties of 
eastern birth, as is demonstrated at such exhibitions as are 
held at Chicago, Indianapolis and Cincinnati ; and with 



40 Chrysanthemum Culture for America. 

such a name as that of John Lane at the front, we may 
expect much from the west in the not distant future. Mr. 
Lane is a retired business man, an enthusiastic amateur in 
chrysanthemum culture, and treasurer of the National Chrys- 
anthemum Society. He has extensive grounds and several 
greenhouses, from which his friends and neighbors reap the 
benefit, for his flowers are distributed with the most lavish 
generosity. His critical notes on varieties and culture, writ- 
ten in a style wholly his own, always receive great attention. 

The chrysanthemum has been exhibited at the shows of the 
Massachusetts Horticultural Society in Boston since 1830. 
The list varieties exhibited at that time was as follows : Quilled 
Flame, Curled Lilac, Tasseled White, Golden Lotus, Large 
Lilac, Changeable Buff, Paper White, Crimson, Pink, Lilac, 
White, Semi-quilled White, Parks, Small Yellow, Golden 
Yellow, Quilled Lilac, and Quilled White, these being exhib- 
ited by Robt. L. Emmons of Boston, then recording Sec- 
retary of the Society, and Nathaniel Davenport. The plants 
were spoken of as grown in the open ground, and evidence is 
given that that the number of varieties at this period was 
very small. They were exhibited on the 20th of November, 
and reported in the New England Farmer of November 26th, 
183c. 



CHAPTER 111. 



Propagation . 



THE propagation of the chrysanthemum by cuttings is 
the system adopted in every country in which it is 
grown. New varieties and the single sorts are pro- 
duced from seed. Old plants may also be divided to 
increase the stock, with comparative success, but propaga- 
tion by cuttings is the method universally adopted, and is by 
far the most satisfactory. Chrysanthemum cuttings root so 
freely that few growers give the subject the attention it 
deserves. In most cases the cuttings are taken with little 
regard to quality, and planted where they will root most 
quickly with the least amount of trouble. This method of 
course may serve the purpose where the finest chrysanthe- 
mums are not expected, but in order to obtain the best pos- 
sible results, strict attention must be paid to every detail of 
their culture. It is of the first importance that we commence 
operations with good material, that as perfect a foundation 
as possible may be laid for future success. There are so 
many adversities to beset the grower through the long months 
of culture, that the start should be made under the most 
favorable circumstances. 

It is possible to produce flowers of the finest quality upon plants 
that are propagated at any time from December to May, but as 

(41) 



42 Chrysa7ithevt2tm Culhtre for America. 

a rule the cuttings started in Februar}^ and March give 
the finest results. When plants are propagated early, as 
in November and December, there is a long dormant sea- 
son through which the young plants are compelled to pass, 
during whicli the wood becomes hardened to a dangerous 
degree, and they also require much labor and attention as 
well as valuable space for at least two months that might be 
easily avoided. Florists having a plant trade in the southern 
states, with a demand for strong 3'oung plants in January and 
February, are almost the only class that would- get profitable 
returns from December propagation. With scarce varieties, 
however, every cutting rooted is a gain, regardless of the sea- 
son in which the operation is performed, as, if rooted in 
December, the top may be taken off in March, and the stock 
in this way further increased, this plan being followed by most 
florists who desire to produce a large number of plants, or in 
establishments where quantity is preferred to quality. On 
the other hand, other matters will be needing attention in 
March, and there may not be sufficient time to make a judi- 
cious selection of varieties, and it is also difficult to obtain 
shoots in the proper state for cuttings as late as that. By 
choosing a time between these extremes, as in February, these 
difficulties are avoided, and the work may be performed with 
greater satisfaction. 

Many growers imagine that in a place suitable for propaga- 
tion, bottom heat is required, but in reality there is no occa- 
sion for it, and those who would be successful should take 
care that no artificial heat in any form is applied except w^hen 
absolutely necessary during unusually cold spells. Plants 
raised in bottom heat rarely produce flowers of fine quality ; 
while it hastens the process of rooting, the plants are always 
weak and liable to receive injury where those more hardily 
reared would remain unharmed. A place where a tempera- 
ture of forty-five degrees can be maintained, and which is 



Propagation. ' 4^ 

kept rather close, with the cuttings near the glass, is most 
suitable. If but a limited number are required, the cuttings 
may be inserted in pots, either singly or otherwise, and 
placed on a firm, moist surface, such as sand or ashes, but 
if large quantities are desired an ordinary propagating bed 
of clean gritty sand must be resorted to, and the same pro- 
cess followed as for rose and carnation propagating, except- 
ing only the heat. Firm and healthy short jointed shoots 
should be selected for cuttings, from plants in good growing 
condition. Those of a succulent nature do not make tlie 
best cuttings, neither do those that have become hard and 
woody, and growths that have the appearance of flowering 
shoots should also be avoided, although they will root and 
make plants on a pinch. 

The cutting should be at least three inches long, and cut 
horizontally witli a sharp knife just below the joint. The 
leaf at the base may be removed and all the rest retained, if 
the cuttings are to be inserted singly in small pots. If, how- 
ever, the cuttings are to be put into an ordinary propagating 
bed, in addition to the removal of the lower leaf, all the- 
remainder may be trimmed, so that the cuttings can be put 
close together in the bed and the air circulate more freel}- 
through them, and prevent them from damping off. The}' 
also have a neater and more S3^stematic appearance in tlie 
propagating bed with the foliage judiciously trimmed. When 
rooted singly in pots, this is not necessary, as the cuttings 
must of necessity be sufficient!}' far apart to prevent the leaves 
touching each other. The small pots that are to receive the 
cuttings should be filled with a rather fine mixture of equal 
parts of sand, leaf mold and loam, well drained, with a thin 
layer of sand on top. With a pointed stick make a hole in 
the center ; insert the cutting about half its length, and press 
the soil about it firmly, taking care that the cutting is not 
bruised or injured during the operation. By this method of 



44 Chrysanthemum Culture for America. 

propagating singly in pots, the greatest success may be 
expected, and we would recommend that all specimen and 
exhibition plants should be rooted in this manner, the extra 
labor being amply repaid by larger and finer blooms. Where 
several cuttings are put into a pot, or where rooted in the 
propagating bed, when the time comes for their separation 
and potting, the roots must receive some injury, and all 
checks of this sort must be avoided as far as possible, espe- 
cially for exhibition plants. 

When the desired number of cuttings is potted, water thor- 
oughly and then place in the house or frame prepared for 
their reception. Here they should be kept close and syringed 
lightly when dry, until rooted, which will usually be indicated 
by their putting forth new leaves, when air may be admitted 
gradually on every favorable occasion, and they will also need 
more water. When the pots are filled with roots they should 
be shifted into larger pots in a good compost of finely prepared 
soil. If the cuttings have been placed in the sand of the 
propagating house, the skilful grower can tell by their fresh 
and plump appearance when they are rooted without lifting 
one from the bed to examine. When rooted in this manner 
they should be potted in about two and one-half inch pots in 
a mixture of finely pulverized soil. But as they will soon 
outgrow these pots, the soil for the first potting seldom 
receives much attention. When potted, if the weather is 
bright, they should be shaded for a few days and kept slightly 
sprinkled until they start into vigorous growth. 

In the propagation of the chrysanthemum, the purpose for 
which the plants are required largely determines which is the 
best system to follow. All have their advantages and draw- 
backs ahke, so that nearly every grower has his own pecuHar 
method, in which he is particularly successful, and no single 
method can be universally adopted. The cardinal points, 
however, are ahke everywhere, the minor details alone vary- 



Propagation. 45 

ing. The wholesale grower who raises his plants by the hun- 
dred thousand cannot adopt the system of the millionaire's 
gardener w4io raises annually a hundred plants for conserva- 
tory decoration, or of the amateur who grows a few dozen for 
his fall display or city exhibition. The latter can select their 
cuttings at just the right stage of development and root them 
according to their fanc\', but the wholesale grower simply gets 
his cuttings when he can, and roots them when most conve- 
nient. The weak and the strong, the soft and the hard, all 
alike go into his propagating bed, where they root and are 
soon ready for distribution. 

Propagations by division is adopted chiefly by amateur^ 
who keep their old plants to flower the following season, and 
is not to be recommended except as a simple means of increas- 
ing the stock for ordinary out-door or garden cultivation. It 
is best performed in March or April, according to the season 
and the locality in which they are grown. A good time to 
divide is when the young shoots begin to push out and attain 
the height of about two inches. The plants should be lifted 
with a spade, trowel, or old knife, and the process of dissec- 
tion is easily performed. The old stump should be discarded, 
and only the young suckers preserved. When possible they 
should be taken off with the roots attached, as in this case 
they may be replanted at once where they are intended to 
bloom, and should the weather be cloudy or moist they will 
go on and grow without further trouble ; if warm and bright 
they will need shading for a few days until they show signs of 
starting into new growth. In dividing the old plants many 
strong suckers may be broken off without any roots, and these 
may be treated as directed for ordinary cuttings. The small 
pieces of rooted suckers are nearly equal to newly propagated 
plants. This system of division is especially to be recom- 
mended for the climate of the South, as there they are hardy 
and attain a large size, and unless divided annually will 



46 Chrysanthemum Culture for Atnerica. 

become large, unshapely plants, and the blooms be inferior in 
quality. Never let them go more than one year without 
dividing. Give them good rich soil, and keep them staked 
and watered. Keep the ground free from weeds, and hoe 
occasionally to keep the ground loose. A top dressing or 
mulching of litter or hay will help them in a dry time. 

Grafting is performed in the usual way during the summer 
months, as young chrysanthemum stems of sufficient substance 
cannot be had in the winter or early spring months to admit 
of this practice ; moreover, chrysanthemum wood is of but 
annual duration, and consequently must be w^orked upon dur- 
ing the early months of summer in order that the object 
aimed at may be accomplished before the blooming season in 
fall begins. These methods are not adopted as a means of 
increasing the stock, but simply as a means of increasing the 
number of varieties upon an individual plant, when such a 
curiosity is desired. Such specimens are objects of admira- 
tion in the exhibition hall or conservatory, although it adds 
no value or beauty to the individual flowers. This is prac- 
ticed to some extent by the Chinese, and the idea of grafting 
the more delicate rooting kinds upon stocks of more vigorous 
growth has sound reason in it for the chrysanthemum as well 
as other classes of plants, although it is not adopted to any 
considerable extent. 

Inarching is accomplished by tying up the scion plant 
among the branches of the plant to be used as a stock, the 
two being grown near enough together to admit of this when 
in the border. If in pots the contact is secured more conve- 
niently, and as there is no separation between the scion and 
stock till the union of the two varieties is assured, inarching 
is often more successful than grafting. 

Propagation b}' seed, together with the process of hybridiz- 
ing, is a branch of chrysanthemum culture to which no hard 
and fast rule can be applied. Climate and condition must 



Propagation , 4^ 

first be studied, and the operations carried on in the manner 
best suited to the circumstances of the grower. Probably no 
two growers adopt the same system, although there are a 
considerable number who practice the art with varying suc- 
cess in every country where chrysanthemums are grown. In 
China and Japan the chrysanthemum sheds its seed naturally, 
and new varieties spring up as they do among self-sown plants 
in this country. We are not so favored here, as far as we can 
learn, although on the sunn}^ sloj^es of California this condi- 
tion ma}' perhaps exist. 

All seed bearing plants should be grown in pots, small 
plants being selected, as they are more easily handled. Select 
the finest bloom and remove the others. The plants when in 
bloom should be kept in a dry airy greenhouse or pit where they 
will get plenty of sunlight. If plants are Avell established and 
somewhat pot-bound they will bear seed more freely. Select 
the finest flower and remove all others, and when in full bloom 
clip off the flower leaves with a pair of shears, but not so short 
as to touch the stamens or pistils. The plants to be crossed 
should then be kept close together, rather dry, and with plenty 
of light and air, thus providing favorable conditions for wind 
or insects to assist in pollinating the flowers, as well as for 
the use of the camel' s-hair brush in artificial pollination. In 
bright sunny weather, where bees and other flower-hunting 
insects abound, a good crop of seed may be had b}^ their assis- 
tance ; but notwithstanding the time and labor required, it is 
advisable to pollinate the flowers b}- hand, using a fine brush, 
in the forenoon of bright sunny days. 

Mr. T. H. Spaulding, of Orange, N. J., who has been very 
successful, describes his methods as follows : '•' I take the pol- 
len from one bloom on a pointed match or quill of a feather 
and place a little in each petal of the flower to be pollinated, 
or touch the stamens with it. This I repeat during several 
successive days, at leisure hours. I think the best plan is to 



48 Chrysanthemum Culture for America. 

take a red, yellow, or white, and cross it with another of the 
same color, but better in constitution or some other quality, 
rather than to cross indiscriminately. I also believe that the 
petals farthest from the centre are likely to produce the best 
and most double blooms. After the pollen is set I withhold 
water, giving only enough to keep the plants alive, and 
remove them to a dry place to ripen their seed. When the 
plant is nearly matured the seed will in most cases ripen, even 
if cut from the stalk." 

Chrysanthemum seeds germinate freely in from seven to 
nine days when sown in pots or boxes and placed in a tem- 
perature of 60 degrees, and if sown early in spring will pro- 
duce blooming plants in the fall. When sufficiently ad- 
vanced, pot the plants singly in two-and-a-half-inch pots and 
move to larger pots as their growth demands it. A six-inch 
pot is quite large enough to bloom a seedling in the first year. 

The treatment of seedling plants differs from the treatment 
of those from cuttings in that no pinching or care need be 
exercised as to the shape of the plant. Mr. Salter used to 
say that for every chrysanthemum he named and sent out, he 
destroyed at least two thousand. This may be discouraging 
to the amateur, but the truth must be told ; yet sometimes a 
good variety will appear among a few dozen seedlings that 
may make the grower's name famous. 

The foliage of seedlings is always clean and thrifty and the 
profusion of bk)ssoms following afford great pleasure to the 
grower, as no two will be precisely alike. 

The chrysanthemum being so freely propagated by cuttings, 
hybridizing and the growing of seedlings are only necessary 
when improvement in either size, form or color is sought for. 
The principal object of the hybridizer should be to improve 
upon the vigor and color. Size should not be sought at the 
expense of these two qualities. A first-class chrysanthemum 
should be of free growth, with stiff stems, the foliage clean 



Propagatio7i. ^g 

and clothing the branches up to the flower, while the flower 
itself should be of good substance, well formed, and of a 
pleasing color. The colors which are yet to be obtained are 
a fine cle^r orange, a clear bright red, and the long sought for 
blue. 

In an interesting letter from Dr. Walcott, of Cambridge, 
Mass., on the subject of seedlings, he says: ''Not one or 
two years are sufficient to test the claims of a seedling chrys- 
anthemum for a leading place. When a new chrysanthemum 
has survived its fifth 3'ear it may be regarded as established, 
and not before, and I am sorry to find that so few stand the 
test. Jardin des Plantes is still unsurpassed in form and 
color, and has been for more than thirty years." 



C— 4 



CHAPTER IV. 



General Culture. 



THERE are few plants that will exist under as much 
neglect as a chrysanthemum, while there are none 
more capable of being highly developed under suit- 
able conditions than this now popular plant. Out 
of thousands of amateurs who grow chrysanthemums, com- 
paratively few give them proper treatment. In most cases, 
after they are set out in spring, a little weeding and perchance 
a stake to keep them off the ground, is all the cultivation they 
receive. With such treatment as this one may have a plant 
in the fall which to most people would appear pretty, but 
superior flowers or handsome plants can never be obtained in 
this way. When all conditions are ready to begin planting, 
select healthy young plants in a fresh growing condition, 
avoiding those that are rather large and have a hard, woody 
stem. Such plants were rooted in November and December, 
were stunted through the winter, and on this account will 
not make a rapid growth. They are also liable to rust and 
become unhealthy long before the summer is over. It is far 
better to. secure vigorous plants with soft wood and in a 
healthy condition. If well rooted they will soon begin to 
grow with much vigor, and if properly cared for (vill retain 
that condition all summer, looking rich and luxuriant when 
the large woody plants v/ould become stunted. 

(50) 



General Culture. 51 

After selecting the plants, choose an open spot, where they 
can have an abundance of sunshine. Make the soil rich to a 
depth of about eighteen inches with cow manure if the soil is 
light and sandy. If stiff and clayey, horse droppings may be 
used, while a little bone dust may be added with good effect. 
A little sand may also be used to lighten the soil when it is 
clayey, as the chrysanthemum thrives better in a rich loose 
soil, and also because they may be lifted in the fall more 
easily. The plants may be placed out of doors as soon as all 
danger of severe frost is over ; in the latitude of New York, 
from the middle of April to the end of May will be soon 
enough, while in the extreme South and all through the Gulf 
states they may be put out as soon as February, and propor- 
tionately later to suit the climates of the intervening states. 
The time at which they may be planted must be governed by 
the frost periods in the given locality. The latest season at 
which they may be planted with success is that which will 
allow them a sufficiently long period of growth to become well 
established in the ground before the dry hot days of summer. 

Set the plants out carefully, about two-and-a-half or three 
feet apart, taking care that the roots are moist, and not suffer- 
ing for want of water. While this amount of room should be 
given when a border is devoted entirely to tiiem, when grown 
in a mixed border with other plants a space of two feet at 
least should be given each individual. 

About the first week in June every plant should have the 
center shoot pinched out — an operation known as ''stop- 
ping." Care should be taken not to nip it out too low down, 
only the center bud requiring removal. A strong stick should 
be placed beside each plant, to which it should be loosely 
tied. If it is desired to grow the plants to a single stem, all 
side branches upon the lower part of the stem, and all shoots 
that come from below the surface of the soil, should be removed 
as fast as they appear. If, on the other hand, the bush form 



52 Chrysanthemum Culture for America. 

is desired, all the shoots may be allowed to grow. In a short 
time there will appear from four to six shoots below the first 
one pinched out. These must also be stopped when from 
four to five inches long and the operation continued until the 
first of August, after which every shoot may be allowed to 
grow without further pinching back. In stopping the differ- 
ent shoots, always bear in mind the desired future shape of the 
plant. Loop the different shoots singly up to the main stake, 
using a separate string for each shoot, not tying them all 
together like a wheat-sheaf. Later in the season more stakes 
will be necessary, as the branches will need to spread out so 
that the air can circulate freely through them and induce their 
proper development. In putting in the stakes, place them as 
close to the stem as possible, letting them incline outward. 
This is done to have the base of the stakes within the earth 
which will form the ball of the plant when potted, thus avoid- 
ing the danger of breaking the plant by removing the stakes 
during the operation. 

At all times during the summer the ground around the 
plants should be kept clean and well worked, never allowing 
it to become baked. Water always in dry weather ; chrysan- 
themums should never be allowed to suffer for want of water. 
This is best accomplished by making a little basin with soil 
around the stem of the plant, to prevent the water from run- 
ning away when poured on, and causing it to soak in directly 
over the roots, where it will do the most good. A better plan, 
perhaps, where the supply of water is abundant and many 
plants grown, is to place* them in trenches that can be irri- 
gated at will. Through the intense heat of July and August 
a little mulch of grass or litter may be thrown over the sur- 
face of the ground, close to the stem, to prevent the roots from 
drying out too rapidly. 

The soil for chrysanthemums, when in pots, is a matter 
which demands considerable attention. To many growers, 



General Culture. 53 

particularly among amateurs, the secret of success is sup- 
posed to lie in the proper selection of a compost in which to 
grow them. This is a mistake, as the best compost that can 
be secured is useless unless the watering and general manage- 
ment afterwards are correct. It is also a mistake to suppose 
that soil must be prepared and stacked from six to twelve 
months before using. 

No absolute rule can be laid down as to what mixture is the 
best, as soils differ so much in various parts of the country, 
and nearly every grower has his particular compost, made of 
ingredients he deems best suited to this purpose, which he 
finds in his own particular locality. 

Loam, as it is called, is of great importance, and is com- 
posed of the top sod or upper surface of an old pasture, cut 
below the fibrous roots of the grass. In some places it may 
be cut three inches deep, and in others one-and-a-half inches 
will be deep enough to obtain all the fibrous parts, as much 
depends upon the time the pasture has been laid down. It 
should be cut some time previous to using, long enough 
for the grass to decay, but preserving the fibrous roots intact. 
Such loam should fof m the staple of the compost, but in some 
districts it is hard to obtain. Many growers of chrysanthe- 
mums have to content themselves with very inferior soil, and 
such growers are ver}^ heavily handicapped compared with 
those who live in sections where there are large and fertile 
pasture lands. 

If the sod is light in character and cut where the land is of 
a sandy nature, ground oyster shells should be added, but if 
the sod is cut from a limestone region, they may be dispensed 
with, as the soil already contains too much lime, a large 
amount of which is unfavorable to the chrysanthemum, the 
foliage through the summer in this case not being of such a 
deep green and vigorous character as where the loam is of a 
different character. Charcoal is of great assistance in keep- 



54 Chrysanthemimi Culture for Ajnerica. 

ing the soil in the pots porous and acting as a storehouse for 
ammonia. If the turf is of a retentive character, the soil 
should be sifted to remove the finer portion, as this prevents 
fthe free passage of water, when it is applied abundantly in 
the growing season. Thus growers having a rather light soil 
at their disposal are much more favored than those who have 
to depend on soil which is of a clayey nature, as in the latter 
the moisture does not escape as readily, and the feeding of 
the plants afterward cannot be so frequently and safely car- 
ried out as in the case of light or porous soils. 

Manure is the next consideration of importance, and must 
be applied in one form or another. Cow manure is good on 
light soils, but can not be approved of for a heavy soil, as it is 
far too retentive in character. The nature of the soil at hand 
must determine the quality of manure to be used. Decom- 
posed manure is frequently recommended, but care must be 
taken that it is not entirely spent, as such manure has but 
little value. The best manure is that prepared by shaking 
out all the straw and reserving little but the droppings, which 
should not be used while too fresh, especially if from horses. 
When cow manure is dry enough to admit of its being handled 
conveniently, it may be used in that state. Sheep droppings 
and the cleanings of the poultry house may also be used 
when in this condition. Bones are also a powerful adjunct in 
making up of the compost heaps. Bones finely ground are 
better than when coarse, as the latter do not give up their 
manurial properties sufficiently during the short period in 
which the plants have to complete their growth. Dissolved 
bones are also beneficial when used in proper quantities. 
Soot is a powerful agent when continuously applied, although 
when used excessively it has a most injurious effect upon 
plants. Quicklime is useful for the destruction of w^orms, 
which is an important consideration, and the best time to 
apply it is when the soil is being prepared for potting, an occa- 



General Culture. ^^ 

sional handful being all that is required. In applying lime it 
should not be used too freely in soils already charged with it, 
but for those of a sandy nature no harm will follow in using 
the quantity advised. Some discretion should be used in 
regard to sand also, as scarcely any is required if the soil is 
of a sandy character. Some growers never use sand at all 
after the cuttings are rooted. If the soil is close and heavy, 
they add enough of finely broken old lime mortar to make it 
porous. 

When the soil is used for potting plants that have been out- 
side during the summer, one-third manure may be added to 
the soil ; but in the case of plants that have to be grown con- 
tinuously in pots all through the summer, much less manure 
should be used with the soil, as an excess of manure has a 
tendency to sour the soil, where plants have to remain in it 
for so long a time. It is best to use a rather poor soil where 
plants are grown in pots all summer, and feed liberally from 
the surface by top-dressings and liquid manure. It needs a 
stiffer and more retentive soil to grow the chrysanthemum in 
Tennesssee than in Connecticut, so it will be seen that it is 
difficult to prescribe a single mixture which shall be the best 
for all climates and soils. We will therefore, suggest a com- 
post for light, and another for heavy soil, which will be found 
suitable under most conditions in which the chrysanthemum 
is grown. 

For a heav}' soil, take three parts of fibrous loam, broken 
up roughly, taking out the fine soil, one part horse manure, 
one part decayed leaves, one part of old mortar or lime rub- 
bish, one part of charcoal or wood ashes broken about the 
size of walnuts, and one-fourth part dissolved bones, and a 
six-inch flower pot full of soot to every four bushels of the 
mixture. Where the soil is light in texture, use four parts of 
loam as fibrous as can be obtained, adding two parts of cow 
manure, one part of leaf mold, the same quantity of ground 



56 Chrysanthemum Culture for America. 

oyster shells or mortar rubbish, half a part of dissolved bones 
and the same quantity of soot as advised for the heavier soil. 
Thoroughly incorporate the various parts, using all as rough 
as possible. The action of mixing reduces the parts consid- 
erably ; therefore if the turfy loam and other ingredients be 
chopped small at first, the mass becomes too fine by frequent 
turning. When the collection of plants to be potted is large, 
and a greater quantity of soil is required, it is well to mix the 
compost at once for the whole, choosing a fine day, so that the 
soil may not get wet in mixing. There may be many growers 
who cannot conveniently procure all the ingredients for these 
two composts, especially in the case of amateurs who do not 
wish the trouble of securing the different articles for the sake 
of the few plants which they cultivate. 

We give one more simple but good compost, which nearly 
all can procure from the material they have at hand, and which 
will be found to answer admirably under most circumstances. 
Three parts rotted sod, and one part rotted manure, adding 
a six-inch pot full of bone dust to each wheelbarrow-full of 
the mixture. With good care in other respects, this will pro- 
duce excellent plants. Those who cannot get all the material 
described need have no fear that they cannot achieve success, 
for an ordinary soil, with close attention to watering and fre- 
quent applications of liquid manure, will produce far better 
results than the most thorough preparation of compost, fol- 
lowed by neglect of the plant, in their subsequent culture. 
We have seen equally as fine chrysanthemums grown in the 
light sandy soil of Connecticut, in the black peaty soil of Illi- 
nois, and in the red clay of Tennessee. 

When cultivated in the ground all summer and taken up 
and potted in the fall for house or conservatory decoration, 
the time of transferring them is a critical period, and the pot- 
ting is most safely done by the middle of August or first of 
September, if the weather is cloudy and favorable, as it allows 



General Odture, 57 

the plants to become well established in the pots before the 
blooming season arrives, while if delayed much later, they will 
have grown so large that they can not be conveniently potted 
without injuring the roots or branches. Dry weather is the 
best time to pot plants from the open ground, as the soil 
readily drops away from the ball without injuring the roots. 
Pot firmly and give a thorough soaking at the roots ; place 
them in a shady spot for a few days, keeping the fohage moist 
by frequent sprinklings, and a few days later they may gradu- 
ally be inured to the sun, when if any of them still show a 
tendency to wilt, they may be returned to the shade for a few 
days longer. After this the pots ought to be sunk in the 
ground up to the rim, as this keeps them from becoming dry 
so rapidly ; otherwise, when the pots are exposed to the sun, 
they are more liable to suffer for want of water, and conse- 
quently need more care. 

Standards, and in fact all large specimens, will need a good 
top-dressing or thick coat of manure over the surface when 
the pots become well filled with roots. Cow manure is best 
for this purpose, as it can be piled an inch above the level of 
the pot if necessary, leaving a hollow in the center to hold 
water. They may remain out of doors until there is danger 
of frost, when they should be moved into a cool room or green- 
house, but not subjected to fire heat, unless needed to protect 
from frost. The chrysanthemum does not require heat, but 
only needs protection from the frost, the drenching rain, and 
the damaging storms that usually occur at the time they are 

in bloom. 

Liquid manure may be given freely after the plants are 
potted, and have recovered from the effects of the operation. 
The most successful growers of chrysanthemums attribute no 
small portion of their success to the judicious application of 
liquid manure as soon as the plants have filled the pots with 
roots. The manure in liquid form is most freely assimilated 



58 Chrysanthemum Culture for America. 

by the plants, and can be applied at any time desired. It is 
best to give it weak at first, and in a short time the plant will 
endure and profit by stronger applications of this stimulant. 
If the soil is rather dry, always give a soaking of pure water 
before the liquid manure is applied. It then becomes equally 
diffused through the soil, so that all the roots are fed and none 
injured, as might otherwise be the case if watered with strong 
manure water while the soil in the pots is in a dry state. 

The fortunate grower who has a farm-yard of his own can 
have a tank or reservoir for the liquid manure to drain into, 
which can then be diluted to suit the condition of the plant. 
Where a farm-yard is not at hand, a barrel or cask may be 
sunk in the ground and the manure water made for the pur- 
pose ; a wheelbarrow full of cow manure, and about a spade 
full of soot, the barrel being then filled with water, makes an 
excellent mixture for this use. Sheep or hen manure or guano 
may also be used with advantage, but guano is dangerous in 
the hands of the inexperienced, and when it can be secured 
the common barnyard drainings will be safest and most effica- 
cious, and will be certain to promote the vigor of the plants 
and add size and beauty to the blooms. A soaking of soot- 
water once a week will keep worms out of the pots and give 
the foliage a rich green hue. Carbonate of ammonia is also a 
wonderful stimulant, and used by many chrysanthemum grow- 
ers ; no other manure having such an immediate and direct 
action on the growth of this plant. One ounce to about five 
gallons of water makes a suitable solution. Never water with 
liquid manure when the plants are dry, but always use clear 
water first and then apply the manure. It is best not to apply 
the top dressings or liquid manure copiously until the roots 
have reached the sides of the pots in which they are to bloom. 
There is no hard and fast rule as to the quantity of these 
manures and stimulants which should be used. The location, 
climatic influences, and the keen observation of the grower, 
can alone determine the proportions of each to be used. 



General Culture. 59 

As soon as the buds commence to form they must be closely- 
watched. This will usually be about the first week in Septem- 
ber, when the grower will have to decide whether few flowers 
of fine size are desired or a quantity of small ones. We 
would advise him to select the large blooms, as a few really 
fine flowers always command attention, where a number of 
small blooms would pass unnoticed. If the large blooms are 
determined upon, one-third or more of the blooms must be 
taken off. This should be done when they are about the size 
of radish seed, simply rubbing them off wdth the thumb and 
finger, carefully preserving the end or terminal bud. It seems 
a great waste to do this, but having done it once the grower 
never regrets it. It is best also to cut away all weak shoots, 
allowing^none of them to flower at all, when large blooms are 

the object in view. 

While large plants may be produced by the ''planting out " 
system, it is admitted that where neither labor nor expense 
are considered, the finest forms, truest colors and best shaped 
flowers are obtained when the plants are grown continuously 
in pots, this rule of course applying to a climate where it is 
necessary to Hft and pot them in the fall, in order to bring into 
the house for final development. 

In the climate of the south fine blooms are annually pro- 
duced by plants that have never been in a pot, and the finest 
the writer has ever had the privilege of seeing, were grown in 
the following manner on the grounds of Capt. J.J. Crusman, 
at Clarksville, in northern Tennessee : A large pit, 102 by 12 
feet, was dug about eight feet deep on a slope facing directly 
south, with a fall of two feet from the back to front wall. 
This was originally intended to be planted in Marechal Neil 
roses, but it was determined to grow chrysanthemums in it for 
the first season. The pit was banked up on all sides and 
sodded so that nothing but the sash appeared from the out- 
side. The ground also sloped co*isiderably to the east, and a 



6o Chrysa7itheniuiii Culture for Amefica. 

fall of three feet was obtained in the length of the pit, which 
was necessary for drainage. In the east end, which was com- 
pletely above ground, was the entrance door. No artificial 
heat of any nature was used. A three-foot bed was made 
through the center of the pit, and one of the same size on 
each side, with an eighteen-inch path all around. The beds 
were made by setting oak planks an inch and a-half thick, on 
edge all around, the planks being a foot wide, allowing for a 
bed of that depth if desired. The beds were filled about nine 
inches deep with a compost of the following proportions ; two 
thirds sandy loam, one-third rotten cow manure and a six-inch 
pot full of bone meal to each wheelbarrow full of this mixture. 
The plants were selected from all sources, both new and old, 
the foremost object being to get the largest blooming sorts in 
cultivation. About June first the plants, being vigorous and 
stocky and in six-inch pots, were planted in the pit, two rows 
in the center bed and one on each side bed about eighteen 
inches apart, using two hundred and fifty plants in all, and 
about two hundred varieties. The sashes were all left off 
until fall, with the exception of every fourth, which was sta- 
tionary. Under these stationary sash were planted such sorts 
as Mrs Alpheus Hardy, E. H. Fitler, and others that do not 
stand the sun well. Abundance of water was at hand, and 
careful attention was paid to staking, each shoot being tied to 
a stake, and not more than four shoots allowed to each plant, 
many of the varieties having only two, and some only one, 
according to the vigor they showed in making their growth. 
About the middle of August a top-dressing of about two inches 
was given them of a material similar to that used in the con- 
struction of beds, and September first, a top-dressing of one 
inch of cow manure, which filled the beds up level with the 
edge of the plank, making the soil a foot deep The terminal 
or crown bud was reserved in most cases, and all other shoots 
and buds removed before they attained much size. By the 



General Culture. 6t 

middle of October there were flower buds as large as pigeon 
eggs on many of them, and at this time the sash was put on, 
chiefly on account of heavy rains, though abundance of ven- 
tilation was given daily when the weather was favorable, until 
the plants were through blooming. Toward the end of Octo- 
ber, and early in November, the blooms began to open. The 
foliLge was thoroughly strong and healthy, and the flowers 
enormous. Each variety was kept plainly labeled, so that 
visitors could take lists of those which they liked best. This 
display. In addition to that in another house, loo by 20, filled 
with trained specimens in pots, beside thousands of plants in 
the open ground, was a sight that can be more easily imagined 
than described. Hundreds of people visited the display 
daily, and railroads gave special rates from all points, so that 
for a period of three weeks the display was a common topic 
of conversation for nearly a hundred miles around, while the 
number of varieties and the proportions of the blooms were a 
revelation to all. 

When the system of continuous pot culture is followed, the 
soil becomes filled with roots In July and August, and the plants 
then require constant attention to watering, as they are at 
that time making that portion of their growth upon which 
the flower buds appear. Rain or soft river water is best If 
obtainable, but if hard or spring water must be used, it will 
greatly improve by exposure to the sun for some hours in 
t'roughs or tubs. When cultivated in pots they require more 
water than when planted out In a border or sqware, and it is 
also essential that they be provided with ample drainage, so 
that all surplus water may run off quickty, as the plants re- 
quire a thorough soaking when watered. Little surface 
sprinklings are productive of more harm than good, as they 
serve only to induce the roots to come near the surface to get 
the benefit of them, and with the first neglect of watering, 
they are destroyed by the hot sun. Nothing but a good soak- 



62 Chrysa7ithe7num Culture for America. 

ing, that permeates every particle of soil in the pot, can pro- 
duce the best results. Syringing the foliage each evening is 
of great advantage in keeping the plants free from the ravages 
of insects and in giving the foliage a healthy appearance, 
ceasing, however, when the plants come into bloom. 

Never water a plant that is not dry ; on the other hand, 
never permit the plant to wilt for want of moisture, as under 
such conditions a free and vigorous growth cannot be made. 
When specimens are grown for exhibition, it is best to go 
over them in the early morning, again at ten o'clock, at noon, 
and once more after five o'clock, and should the plants be 
vigorous and growing, at least two of these waterings should 
be thorough soakings. As the plants increase in size, and 
the pots fill with roots, it is necessary to watch the edge of 
the ball in the pots, as sometimes the soil is pressed out from 
the pot, leaving a space where the water may trickle down 
between the soil and the pot, leaving the plants suffering for 
want of water, although an abundant supply has apparently 
been given. A little care given such plants, by pressing down 
the edges so that the water may not run through so rapidly, 
will be abundantly repaid by their subsequent vigor. When 
the plants are in full bloom, the days will be short and not so 
warm, so that one thorough watering each day will be suffi- 
cient, and in dull weather they may not even require it so often. 
It is not necessary, at this stage of their culture, to give liquid 
manure, clear water being sufficient after the buds have devel- 
oped into blossoms, but care should be taken not to spill it 
about the floors, so as to cause a moist atmosphere in which 
the flowers would have a tendency to mould. 

A good plan is to water in the forenoon, or at midday, so 
that plenty of ventilation can be given until the moisture is 
completely dried awa}^, and the plants will have a pure atmos- 
phere, not overcharged with moisture, in which to pass the 
night. 



CHAPTER V. 



Exhibition Plants. 

THE rapid strides in chrysanthemum culture at present, 
when each recurring season outstrips the past, and 
when exhibitions are being held for the first time in 
the history of so many communities, evokes from all 
sides the oft repeated question to the successful exhibitor, 
''How were these plants grown ?" Judging from the interest 
so widely manifest in the growing of exhibition plants, the 
subject of the production of finely formed chrysanthemums 
and splendid flowers is the question foremost in the minds of 
many in the profession, and of many amateurs that aspire to 
first honors at their local shows. 

The ideal plant in this country and the standard at all our 
exhibitions is what is popular^ known as the bush plant. 
These are from two-and-a-half to four feet in diameter, of 
graceful contour, and each branch terminated with a good 
sized and finely formed flower. 

The requirements for chrysanthemum exhibitions differ in 
various parts of the country. If plants are grown for one of 
the rural exhibitions, they may be grown in the open ground 
through the summer, and lifted as the season of flowering 
approaches, and potted for fall display. These will answer 
the purpose very well, and the labor of cultivating them will 
be reduced to a minimum. On the other hand, if the plants are 

(63) 



64 Chrysanthemum Culture for America. 

to be exhibited in any of the great cities of the north or west, 
and are to bear the scrutiny of a Thorpe or a Harris before 
the blue ribbon is attached, a different system must be adopted, 
and that is, continuous cultivation in pots, as by this method 
the finest fiowers and best results can be obtained. Cuttings 
for this, as for other purposes, should be selected from strong 
healthy plants after they are through flowering, placing each 
in a two and a-half inch pot, and partially shaded until they 
begin to root, when the shading should be removed, and the 
plants kept close to the glass. In about three or four weeks 
from the time of potting, the plant will need transplanting 
into larger pots. Give sufficient ventilation, that the growth 
may not become weakly, and keep up a night temperature of 
48 degrees, for if it should get any cooler than this, growth 
would be arrested and a check to the plant ensue. The 
plants should always be re-potted as soon as the ball becomes 
filled with roots, and should never be allowed to become pot 
bound. If the cuttings were rooted in February in two and 
a half-inch pots, the next change will be into four-inch pots, 
and this will need to be done about the end of March. If the 
plants have grown well, the next shift will be into six-inch 
pots early in May. It is advisable to place them in the house 
again for a few days, at least, until root action commences, 
when, if all danger of frost is over, they may be placed in the 
open air. 

The summer quarters should be a level piece of ground, 
arranged so that the surface wa,ter from summer showers will 
readily pass away. Care should be taken not to set the plant 
in immediate contact with the earth, or worms will find their 
way into the pots to the injury of the plants. Some place 
the pQts on boards, and others use slate, but perhaps the best 
method is to set the plants upon a bed of coal-ashes, thus pre- 
venting the entrance of worms, and allowing the water to pass 
off freely. In no case should the plants be crowded, but set 



ExhiOiiioii Plants. 65 

far enough apart so that each plant wiU have sufficient room 
for air and sunhght to play about it. When plants are tnus 
set in the sun and drying winds, it will necessitate frequent 
watering on hot days and in windy weather. Gauze or other 
shading may be used judiciously, and is certainly beneficial in 
midsummer, especially in the climate of the southern states. 
It should, however, be removed in cloudy weather, and late 
in the afternoon, so that the plants can get the late afternoon 
sun and the refreshing dew. If placed on a roller over art 
improvised frame work, it could be run on and off very easily. 
Shift from six-inch to eight-inch pots, whenever the condi- 
tion of the roots justifies it, and give the final shift into the pots 
in which they are intended to bloom, not later than the first 
of August. These should be about ten or twelve inches in 
diameter, depending upon the size of the plants. It is best 
not to put plants into pots larger than are absolutely neces- 
sary, as they look better in pots which are rather small in pro- 
portion to their size. Take two plants of equal proportions, 
putting one into a ten, and the other into a twelve-inch pot, and 
the difference in appearance in favor of the ten-inch pot plant 
will be at once apparent. 

The stopping of the young growths, and the judicious tying 
of them into place, must have close attention. It is better to 
tie a little at a time, than to wait until the shoots all get large 
and do it all at once. The grower must first fix in his mind 
the shape of the plants he desires, and work with a view to 
that end, constant attention being the keynote of success. 

The last stopping should not occur later than the first of 
August, if plants are desired for exhibition before November 
loth. When finely formed flowers of good size are desired, 
all but the terminal or crown bud should be removed. This 
is best performed by using a pointed stick or penknife, but 
care must be taken, or rough handling may destroy the work 
of months. 



66 Chrysanthemum Culture for Am.erica. 

It must not be understood that the first flower bud that 
forms is the one to be retained, as many varieties produce 
what is known as the summer bud that generahy shows itself 
in May. When first seen, it usually has three vigorous shoots 
around it. This bud is useless and should be removed as 
soon as it appears ; if allowed to develop, the plants stop 
growth for a time, and the formation of the next buds will be 
delayed. Some varieties, such as Grandifiorum, and others, 
must not be pinched too late or they will not bloom at all. 
When the summer bud is removed several shoots will appear 
below it, and as many may be left as is thought expedient, 
the variety and strength of the plant alone determining this. 
Each of these shoots thus formed, will show another bud 
which is termed the crown bud, and is the one most likely to 
produce the finest llowers, if it shows itself at the proper time. 
Occasionally these buds appear in July, and are known as the 
July buds, but these are too early, and will produce only 
imperfect or badly shaped fiowers. It is best to remove all 
buds that appear in July, as by so doing the plants will be 
induced to make further growth, upon all of which buds will 
appear about the last week in August or first week in Septem- 
ber. These are the ones to be selected, and the buds that 
make the finest blooms. When the buds are selected, all the 
after growths and small buds that appear in the axils of the 
leaves should be removed, as they detract from the progress 
of the selected buds, and could not by any means develop in 
time to lend any additional charm to the plants during their 
early blooming period. If bushy plants are desired, the ten- 
der shoots must be carefully tied down before the growth 
matures sufficiently to make it brittle, when it easily breaks. 
Alter all the shoots are carefully tied down, the plants will 
develop, as they grow, into the form provided for in the first 
tying down of the branches. In tying, care must be taken 
that the loops that hold the branches are not too tight to move 



Exhibition Plants. 67 

Witn the rapid growth as it progresses. Wire hoops fastened 
to sticks serve admirably for tying the shoots where a spread- 
ing, bushy plant is desired. There must be three or more to 
each plant to give it a good form. The wire can easily be 
cut with pliers and slipped out, as it is best to remove it 
when staged for exhibition. String should be used for the 
main stem branches, but raffia or matting will do for the later- 
als. Remove all the large stakes possible at the same time 
as you do the wire, if plants will be be safe without them, and 
preserve its shape during the show without their assistance, for 
nothing can be more unsightly than a forest of sticks in a pot, 
with only a small branch or lateral tied to each. The center 
stake, of course, cannot well be dispensed with, but outside 
of this as few as possible should be used. By commencing 
early with the tying, as soon as the plants begin to make their 
growth, a more natural appearance can be given the plant 
than if much growth is made before tlie tying operation is 
commenced. Carefully tie up the laterals about two weeks 
before they come into bloom. This gives the shoots a chance 
to turn their buds to the I'ight and assume a more natural 
appearance when in flower than if just tied down. 

Many people raise their voices against this system of tying 
altogether, as it is unnatural, and although from a truly artis- 
tic standpoint the trained specimens may not be all we 
desire, to follow nature's course would be to leave our 
choicest blooms to become bedraggled in the mud, and the 
training and tying become a necessity. It is of course desir- 
able, when art must be brought to our assistance at all, to 
bring into harmony with nature, adopting the system best 
adapted to our convenience and the beauty of our plants. 

A stout stake in the centre, to which all the shoots are looped 
u^^ xJ about all the training the chr3'santhemum receives in 
England, in many establishments, when grown only for con- 
servatory decoration ; but for exhibition purpose the English 



68 Chrysanthemuvi Culture for Avterica. 

even exceed us in the extent of their training. Their stand- 
ards, half standards, umbrella tops, pyramids and balloon 
shaped plants, show that endless care is bestowed upon their 
formation. The feeding and watering of the plants will then 
be the all-important care. Like human beings they can exist 
and flourish on one or more staple foods, but a change of food 
occasionally is best, and will produce surprising results. Use 
one week a very light dressing of cow manure, old and well 
pulverized ; the next, liquid manure, and so on. Soot water 
may also be used with advantage at intervals throughout the 
whole season. 

The care of watering is best entrusted to one man, and if he 
is observant, he will soon find out the nature and require- 
ments of the different varieties. Some varieties require much 
more water than others, a fact which soon becomes apparent 
to one entrusted with their keeping, and he should govern the 
supply of water accordingly. If the plants should ever suffer 
from want of water and their foliage wilt, it will count against 
the final success; hence the importance of judicious watering. 
A good plan is to offer an interest in the final outcome — for 
instance, one-fourth the prize — to the man in charge ; it will 
wonderfully energize him, and many of the successful growers 
attri»bute much of their success to this plan. 

In England, according to custom, the head gardener is the 
recipient of all prize money and profits of all kinds, resulting 
from the awards made at horticultural exhibitions in favor of 
the articles he has exhibited, whether chrysanthemums, orchids, 
or the products of the kitchen garden. He carries with him 
when he moves, the certificates, cups, medals, and ribbons 
that at one time graced some object of his care in the exhibi- 
tion tent or hall, and proudly shows them as evidences of his 

skill. 

The standard or tree chrysanthemums at exhibitions, or 
wherever seen, always command attention, towering as they 




Ny 



MPH.^A-A Fragrant Chrysanthemum 



yo ' Chrysanthefnum Culture for America. 

do above the bush and trained specimens. To amateurs, and 
others not famihar with the growth of chrysanthemums, the 
standards are all looked upon as plants of several years growth. 
A massive specimen six feet high, with a finely proportioned 
head of bloom, appears to the uninitiated as something impos- 
sible to produce in a period of ten months. 

The plan best suited to this particular mode of culture, and 
the one usually adopted by the most successful growers, is to 
take the first strong healthy shoots that spring up after the 
first of January, cutting them off about three inches long and 
placing them in pots or sand, as with other cuttings, in a cool 
propagating house. In about two w^eeks the}^ will be rooted, 
when they are potted into two and a-half inch pots, if rooted 
in sand, or if propagated in pots, they are shifted into a larger 
size. They should be placed in the greenhouse, kept grow- 
ing without a check of any kind, and repotted from time to 
time, as each pot in turn becomes filled with roots. They 
should be put into large pots at the end of June, and each 
confined to a single stem until the desired height is reached. 
They must be kept loosely but securely tied to straight stakes, 
and no branches, under any circumstances, be allowed to 
grow. 

The height of the standards is a matter of taste or conve- 
nience, some preferring to grow them six feet high, while 
others consider three feet a more desirable height, unless it is 
desired for some particular purpose. When this height is 
reached, the top is pinched out. In a few days side shoots 
appear ; these are trained outward, and pinched again and 
again until the first week of August, The shoots are so 
arranged as to form an evenly balanced and well proportioned 
head, which gives the plant a unique appearance. No shoots 
should be allowed to start from the roots or anywhere upon 
the stem. Standards should if possible be sheltered from the 
winds in fall, when their growth is completed, as they are apt 



Exhibitio7i Plans. 



71 




" Single-Flowered " Chrysanthemum. 

to be top heavy, and would otherwise perhaps be broken 
down by the first strong winds of autumn. They are best 
grown by being kept in pots all the time, since there is danger 
of losing them w^hen transferring to pots from the ground in 
the fall, even with the most painstaking care. 



72 Chrysanthemum Culture for America, 

In the south, where they are grown as an ordinary decora- 
tive plant for the garden, they may be grown and flowered in 
the open ground with the same attention to training and stop- 
ping, as if grown in pots. If unsuitable varieties are chosen, 
no amount of care will produce good standards, so that great 
care must be taken in this particular. 

To grow large flowers, the same soil and treatment is 
required as for the other purposes described. The plants 
should not be pinched often, consequently there will not be as 
many shoots, but they will be taller and less bushy. Some 
plants grow eight feet high, others not half that height, 
according to the variety. When the very largest flowers are 
desired, only one flower should be allowed on a shoot, all side 
shoots being rubbed or pinched out from time to time, and 
the small flower buds removed. The terminal bud is the 
largest and the ono usually retained. 

Growers for exhibition often confine their plants to one 
stout stem, every lateral shoot being removed as soon as it 
appears, and only one bud retained. By this means of devot- 
ing the complete energy of a plant to the development of a 
single blossom, it is wonderful to what size the blossoms will 
attain, and where ample room is given and a good supply of 
plants on hand, the intending exhibitor would do well to fol- 
low this method, if he wishes to distance all competitors for 
large blooms in the November exhibitions. Throughout the 
season the plants must be well cared for, and manure water 
should be constantly applied. A stout stake should be placed 
at each shoot, to which it should be securely fastened. Care 
in watering and thinning th-e buds is the chief point in grow- 
ing large flowers, and with all these points properly attended 
to, there should be no trouble in securing the finest blooms. 
The number of shoots allowed to remain on each plant is a 
matter each grower must de^termine for himself, being gov- 
erned by his circumstances and requirements, always remem- 



Exhibition Plants. 



73 



bering, however, that quantity will be at the expense of qual- 
ity, as the flower-producing capacity of each plant can be 
concentrated into one or more shoots, or even into a single 
terminal bud. Some growers take out the terminal bud as 
soon as it appears, and thin out the lateral shoots to two or 
three, and in this manner obtain fine blooms, but not quite 
as early as if the terminal buds were retained on each shoot. 




CHAPTER VI. 



Insects and Diseases. 

THE chrysanthemum, Hke most other things of beauty, 
is not always free from trouble ; like the rose and 
lily, a number of enemies assail it, but being of a 
vigorous constitution, it is singularly free from dis- 
ease, and with some slight assistance its insect enemies can be 
speedily overcome. 

The black fiy or aphis is its most persistent pest, and its 
attacks are chiefly in winter and spring, and if infesting the 
plants when set out of doors in spring, they are apt to be 
somewhat troublesome throughout the summer. It is there- 
fore necessary, while the plants are indoors, just before turn- 
ing them into their summer quar ters to thoroughly rid them 
of all insects that ma}^ be upon them, as it is more easily done 
when the plants are under complete control in the house, than 
after they are placed outside. While in the house the}' can 
all be destroyed by fumigations, or using fresh tobacco stems 
among the plants on the benches, or on the hot water pipes. 
The sprinkling of these stems with water at evening just as 
the house is to be closed up, will cause them to throw off 
fumes that will prove fatal to the fly, if continued for a fev/ 
days. If the plants are in the open ground, syringing the 
infested plants, and dusting liberally with dr}' snuff or tobacco 

(74) 



Insects and Diseases. 75 

dust, has a good effect, and is the best means of eradicating 
the fly. 

In tobacco growing sections, where the refuse can be had 
at a low cost, the plants out of doors can be freely mulched 
with it a few times during the season, and no trouble will be 
experienced from the fly. If tobacco is scarce, take a small 
quantity, place it in a pail or bucket, and pour boiling w^ater 
on it, and as soon as cool, syringe the infested plants with it, 
and it will have the desired effect. 

The red spider and the mealy bug will sometimes infest the 
chrysanthemum, but if a water supply and a garden hose are 
at hand, a thorough syringing every evening will make it un- 
pleasant for them, and they will not seriously trouble the 
plants. Clear cold water has many virtues, and is essential 
in keeping the plants clean. 

In the fall a brow'n caterpillar sometimes pre3s upon the 
foliage, and there is no remedy for this better than hand pick- 
ing. Many of our handsomest sorts are also subject to mil- 
dew ; the Chinese varieties, especially the incurved sorts, 
seem to be most liable to its attacks. In some seasons the 
disease is far more prevalent than it is at others. 

Black spot, probably another form of mildew, is also a seri- 
ous evil upon the older leaves. The mildew generally makes 
its appearance when the plants are housed or sheltered in 
November. Its origin is attributed by some to cold nights 
succeeding sunny days, or great extremes of temperature. 
Overcrowding the plants and insufficient ventilation are fer- 
tile causes of mildew, as well as a cold wet soil or bleak situa- 
tion, leaving outside late in the fall, and dull cloudy weather. 
Should mildew actually appear, flowers of sulphur dusted 
liberally on the plant, so as to come in contact w^ith both 
upper and under sides of the leaves, is the most effectual 
remedy. The best preventive is to avoid overcrowding in 
the fall ; giving abundance of air through the day, and pre- 
serving a dry atmosphere at night. 



CHAPTER Vn. 



Sports and Other Variations, - 

THE '' sports ' ' that are developed from time to time, thus 
enlarging our collection, are due to the kindly assist- 
tance of nature. According to Adam Forsythe, the 
lilac flowers are most likely to sport and frequently 
change to yellow. It appears that any color is capable of 
sporting into any other color peculiar to the chrysanthemum. 
All four varieties of Cedo Nulli have sprung from one. 
Bronze Jardin des Plantes came from that fine old yellow 
variety, and Queen of England has sported into six different 
colors. 

Not to discuss their physiological import, the question 
for the practical man, is, having obtained the sport, how to 
keep it. In cases of a sport really worth keeping, the first 
care is to notice how many terminal shoots produced it, for 
sometimes the new flowers come in a bunch, but more fre- 
quently they appear singly. Mark the branches and cut the 
flowers, taking off a few medium sized cuttings from the wood 
that produced the new flowers, and strike them in a gentle 
heat. Having done this, cut the plant down, excepting the 
stem upon which the new flowers were produced, in order to 
obtain from it during the winter a large number of side shoots 
for cutting. B}^ this course a good stock of plants will be 

(76. 



sports and Other Variations . 



11 




"Thousand Sparks." — Shown in Japan. 



secured, and in the following season the new flowers may 
appear ; but on the other hand, the old flowers may appear in 
their stead, and one may discover that so far as raising a new 
variety is concerned, all his labor is lost. It may happen that 
the new flowers appeared upon a sucker from the root, in 
which case the chances for success are greater than when 
they appear upon bearing wood. 

Another excellent plan when a sport is discovered, is to 
take the plant to a propagating house, turn it out of the pot, 



78 Chrysanthemum Culture for Am,erica. 

first cutting away all the branches except those bearing the 
sportive flowers, lay it on its side and cover the ball with sand. 
Spread the branches on the sand of the propagating bed, and 
cover the entire stem with sand, being careful to have the leaves 
exposed, as, if covered, they would rot awa3\ Secure the 
branches firmly, so that nothing can move them about, and 
hinder the rooting process. Keep all moist, and young shoots 
will break from every joint. When these are large enough to 
remove, cut them off and propagate in the usual way. This 
is better than cutting the stems into lengths to strike, as the 
hardened wood is slow to root. 

As a rule the varieties which originate from sports are self- 
colored, although there are occasionally exceptions to this 
rule, and in nine cases out of ten the sport will be at least as 
good in quality as the parent. But in time sportive charac- 
ters will develop more colors than one in a flower. There is 
no end to the range of sportiveness, and it is possible that 
many varieties will be found that will show peculiarities little 
dreamed of at present. 

Among the inexperienced in chrysanthemum cultmre, there 
is much confusion of ideas in regard to sports. Many persons 
think they are in possession of something new, when in reality 
they are only bad forms of some variety, caused by allowing 
the blooms to develop from the wrong bud. There is no 
necessary correspondence between blooms of a variety that 
develops its blooms from buds formed at two totally distinct 
periods, in the growth of the plant. 

The question of sports and sporting is an interesting sub- 
ject, both from a theoretical standpoint as well as in practical 
study. The general system, so much in vogue, of growing 
chrysanthemums for large blooms is not favorable to the 
increase of our varieties by sports, as the side shoots are 
taken from the plants as fast as they appear, and it is from 
these side shoots, when they are allowed to grow and develop 



sports and Other Variations. 79 

flowers, that many sports appear. On the other hand, if 
grown in their natural bush form, sports appear any and 
everywhere. 

Mr. Burbridge, in his excellent work on chrysanthemums, 
says in regard to sports, that the causes of their appear- 
ance are unintelligible to him. 

Early Flowering Chrysanthemums seem out of place, 
when in bloom in mid-summer, and we do not want them 
so early, for it must be a poor collection of summer flowers 
that can need the unseasonable help of the chrysanthemum at 
any time from the first of March to the first of September; 
but after that date every bloom that can be secured for a 
period of four or five months seems invaluable. There are 
numerous varieties that will keep the southern garden or the 
northern conservatory ga}- through November and December. 
There are also some varieties that bloom in January, and 
most of the medium and late flowering sorts can be induced 
to bloom later by a system which we shall presently suggest. 

It is to the earlier flowering that we now confine our 
remarks. This class is of great use in adorning northern gar- 
dens where late kinds would be destroyed by frosts, filling up 
the gap between the summer flowers and the November chrys- 
anthemum. They are also invaluable to florists for cut-flower 
work through October. John Salter was the first to take this 
class in hand and develop it, as up to his time the early kinds 
were all of little merit, and calculated to disfigure rather than 
to adorn a garden. The varieties that were most valued by 
Mr. Salter for their early blooming qualities, were Precocite, 
Golden Button, St. Mary, Mad. Pepin and Illustration. 
Some of these are still in cultivation, but are not of sufficient 
value to command general admiration. For the last thirty 
years this class has steadily improved, with the result of a 
series of beautiful varieties flowering in September and Octo- 
ber ; so that the introduction of this group is proving more 



8o ChrysantheTnum Culture for America. 

useful every season, although it must be admitted that there 
is still room for much improvement. A pure yellow, a bright 
rose, and a full crimson of such a type as Madam Desgrange, 
would be of incalculable advantage to chrysanthemum gar- 
dens, and no one familiar with the subject would venture to 
say we may not hope for such improvements. This section 
will doubtless be much developed and add still further form 
and color to our gardens during that period when the pot 
marigold, calliopsis, rudbeckias, dahlias, sun-flowers and 
tritomas appear to be on the wane, and when the golden 
rod, hawk-weed, and dandelion look dim by the wayside. The 
following is a brief list of available earlier blooming sorts : 

WHITE. PINK OR CARMINE. YELLOW. D.\RK. 

Madame Desgrange, M. Boyer, Gloriosum, Roi de Precoces 

Madame La Croix, October Beauty, M. E. Nicholas, Sam. Morley, 

Pequot, M. Ghys, C. Bryan, Louis Barthere, 

Lady Selborne, Lord Mayor, Golden Desgrange, Fleur Parfaite, 

Duchess of Fife, Grace Attick, Wm. Cobbett, Capucine. 

Elaine. Martimas. Golden Shah. 

Late Flowering Chrysanthemums. — For the purpose of 
prolonging the blooming season of the chrysanthemum, the 
late flowering varieties play an important part, especially tne 
large flowering Japanese varieties that bloom after Christmas. 
Special culture and late pinching has much to do with late 
flowering, but a selection of varieties best suited to this treat- 
ment is of great importance in the production of flowers dur- 
ing the late winter or early spring months, when other flowers 
are scarce. To the production of late varieties, as w-ell as the 
earlier section, our growers might with profit turn their atten- 
tion still further, and greatly extend the season of their favor- 
ite flowers. 

During recent years various cultural practices have been 
resorted to for the purpose of obtaining short bushy plants 
that would bloom in January and February, which is the most 



sport: and Other Variations. 



8i 




Niagara. — an Oddity. 



dreary portion of our floral 3 ear. The practice generally 
adopted to retard them is cut them down to a height of six 
inches early in May, when the plants are eighteen inches or 
two feet high. This results in a bushy mass of side shoots. 



-82 Chrysanthermun Culture of America. 

the plants are retarded so that they will bloom later than would 
otherwise be the case. A few plants treated in this wa}^ from 
the beginning of May till the end of June will give a fine suc- 
cession of flowers through January and February. After cut- 
ting back in this manner the plants must be kept moist until 
the new growth appears. It must be borne in m.ind that the 
practice is not recommended except in the case of decorative 
plants, as the individual blooms are not as large when so 
treated. It is of special value in the production of flowering 
plants for greenhouse or conservatory decoration. Late prop- 
agation will also induce late blooming qualities, and keeping 
the plants out of doors as long as possible in the fall is also 
favorable to this result. 

There are some varieties which, under the same treatment 
as other chrysanthemums, will not bloom until December is 
well advanced ; such are Late Duchess, Princess Teck, Mrs. 
Cannell, H. Waterer, and others. These should be supplied 
with liquid manure until the buds commence to show color, 
but on account of the short dull days in which they bloom 
they will not require as much water during that period as the 
earlier sorts. The following is a list of good late flowering 
chrysanthemums : 



WHITE. 



PINK. YELLOW. DARK. 

Pelican, Hero of Stoke Newing- Thunberg, Welcome, 

Mrs. C. Carey, ton. Gov. of Guernsey, Mr. Gladstone, 

Lucrece, Mrs. Wanamaker, Mr. H. Jones. Bicolor, 

Moonlight. Mrs. F. Thomson. Goldfinder. Gloire de Tou- 

Syringa. louse. 



CHAPTER VIIL 



Chrysanthemum Shows and Organi^^ations. 

THE first chrysanthemum sliow not of a competitive 
nature, was probably that held in the gardens of the 
London Horticultural Society at Cheswick, in the 
autumn of 1825, when all the recently introduced 
novelties from China were shown, about seven hundred plants 
being exhibited. Another was given in 1829, at Norwich; 
this was by the Norfolk and Norwich Horticultural Society. 
A show was held in 1831, in Menna, where, it is interesting 
to note, more sorts were known at that time than in England. 
A few years later, in 1836, Birmingham and Swansea, in South 
Wales, each held shows. After these shows were inaugurated 
they gained steadily each* year in public favor, until every 
town in England had followed their example, and each suc- 
cessive year's display has outdone its predecessor, until 
to-day, the craze may be said to be at its height. At one of 
the recent shows in London, 10,000 people paid for admission 
the first day, and at Hull, Portsmouth, Kingston, and other 
places the crowds are surprising. Almost every town in Eng- 
land has a chrysanthemum society, and m all European coun- 
tries, especially in Belgium and the North of France, the 
chrysanthemum is becoming a very popular flower, as it also 
is in New Zealand, Australia and Tasmania. 

(83) 



84 Chrysanthemum. Culture for America. 

It has been customary in those countries to .offer valuable 
prizes for the best grown plants and cut blooms, which has 
served to greatly stimulate the interest in this popular flower, 
so that they are now the most attractive of all the flower exhi- 
bitions, and thousands annually flock to see them with as much 
enthusiasm as the Kentuckians exhibit for their state fairs or 
race meetings. 

The Centenary chrysanthemum show was held in Edin- 
burgh, Scotland, in 1889, the receipts at the door amounting 
to $5,736 in three days. A grand Centenary Festival was 
held in London in November, 1890, under the auspices of the 
National Chrysanthemum Society of England. 

The people on this side of the Atlantic have now become 
interested, and chrysanthemum shows have become as popu- 
lar as in other countries. 

Whilst chrysanthemums were shown by the Massachusetts 
Horticultural Society as early as 1830, it was not until the 
year 1868 that the first exhibition distinctively styled a chrys- 
anthemum show was held by this society. This was one of 
the Saturday shows, from twelve o'clock M. to three P. M., 
and so continuing until i8;79, when it was held on Wednes- 
day from twelve o'clock M. to ten P. M. In 1882 it was con- 
tinued for two days, in 1886, for three days, and so continued 
until 1889, when it was held four days. 

The exhibition in New York in 1882 Is the first in that city 
of which we can find any record. The plants were chiefly 
from the gardens of Messrs. V. H. Hallock, Son & Thorpe, 
of Queens, and Wm. C. Wilson, of Astoria. Several following 
years large shows were held, at which many new varieties were 
exhibited for the first time. The formation of the New Jersey 
Floricultural Society, and its annual chrysanthemum exhibit 
at Orange, has detracted somewhat from the New York shows 
of late, as most of the plants exhibited in New York came 
from that vicinity. Their first exhibition was held in Novem- 



Chrysanthemum Shows a?id Organizatio7is. 



«5 




Eye of the Serpent, or Medusa — A Japanese Fancy. 

ber, 1886, their total receipts being $3,300, leaving the Society 
a net profit of $2,000 for its three days exhibition. 

Since that time chrysanthemum shows have become more 
general, and once started, they have grown rapidly in public 
favor, so that their abandonment or retrogradation in a single 
instance has yet to be chronicled. Philadelphia held its first 
annual exhibition in 1880, and the shows under the auspices 
of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society have now acquired 
a national reputation. In 1887, Chicago had its first chrysan- 
themum show, under the auspices of the Chicago Florists' 
Club. Their second show was in the form of a floral fete, 



86 Chrysanthemum Culture for America. 

upon the grounds of John Lane, in October, 1888, and in 
the same year also, a display was made in the Eden Mus^e 
of that city, in November. Each year since, a most interest- 
ing meeting or exhibition has been held, and liberal premiums 
are annually offered under the able management of the Chicago 
Florists' Club. Indianapolis, too, had its first show in 1887, 
and it has increased annually, until now its fame has spread to 
all countries where the chrysanthemum is grown, and is perhaps 
the most popular of all the chrysanthemum exhibitions in 
America at the present time. Cinoinnati held its first show 
in connection with the Exposition in 1888, and in the follow- 
ing year, in Pike's Opera House, a grand exhibition, exclu- 
sively of chrysanthemums, was given, and valuable premiums 
were offered, and have been continued at all subsequent 
shows. New Haven, Connecticut, held its first displa}^ in 
1887; Montreal, Canada, in 1889; Atlanta, Georgia, in 1889; 
Nashville, Tennessee, in 1886; Memphis in 1887; while the 
following cities also now hold chrysanthemum shows regu- 
larly every fall : Worcester, Springfield, New Bedford and 
Plymouth, Massachusetts ; Scranton, Germantown, Lancas- 
ter and Erie, Pennsylvania ; Hartford, Connecticut ; Camden, 
New Jersey ; Baltimore, Maryland ; Evansville, Indiana ; 
Wilmington, Delaware ; Charleston, South Carolina ; Mont- 
gomery, Alabama ; Dallas, Texas, and several others. 

Every season we read of a dozen or more cities holding 
their first chrysanthemum show, so that it will probably be but 
a short time until every city and town of importance will have 
its annual chrysanthemum show. 

While they have been confined chiefly to the large cities of 
the North and West, we are glad to note that the Southern 
cities are also falling in line, and the Autumn Queen is given 
a well appointed reception each season, as she bursts into 
blossom in the soft sunny days of the ''Indian Summer." 
Nearly all towns of any importance in the South have had for 



Chrysanthemum Shozvs and Organizations. 87 

several 3'ears a chrysanthemum display, at which no premiums 
were offered, but an admission fee was charged, usually for 
benevolent purposes, the plants being contributed from the 
gardens of amateurs in the vicinity. 

Through the enterprise of the Piedmont Exposition Com- 
pany, of Atlanta, Georgia, the first of a series of chrysanthe- 
mum shows was held in the fall of 1890, at which valuable 
prizes were offered. 

The National Chrysanthemum Society of America was 
organized at Buffalo, New York, in August, i88g, during the 
meeting of the Society of American Florists in that city. The 
veteran John Thorpe, of Pearl River, New York, being the 
moving spirit in the enterprise, took the lead as president, 
with Edwin Lonsdale, of Philadelphia, as secretary, and John 
Lane, of Chicago, as treasurer. '' If ten years ago it had been 
said that a National Chrysanthemum Society would be in 
operation in i8go, many would have said that those who 
hinted at such a thing would be a good deal safer in some 
insane asylum, where their utterance would not disturb the 
minds of their brethren v/ith such absurd predictions." So 
said Mr. Thorpe soon after the formation of the Society. A 
year, however, has passed, and the author regrets his inabil- 
ity to chronicle any of its achievements. Probably time is 
required to lay the foundations of such a glorious institution 
as we would fain see the National Chrysanthemum Society 
become. We trust the moving spirits in the organization 
will pursue the good work so cheerfully undertaken until their 
fullest ambition is attained, and thereby gain the admiration 
of all toilers in the world of "^mums. " 

The work proposed by Mr. Thorpe to receive the first 
attention of the Association is as Follows : First, the super- 
vision and discrimination to be given to seedlings before they 
are distributed ; this is mentioned first because there are so 
many now foisted upon the market that are worthless, and 



88 Chrysanthemum Culture for America. 

because of its great importance ; Seco7id, the consideration 
and selection of collections for all purposes ; Thirds the best 
method of producing the best specimens of all kinds and for 
all purposes ; Fourth, supervision as far as possible over 
those distributing chrysanthemums, so as to insure their being 
true to name ; Fifth, the formation and establishing of socie- 
ties in all cities, towns, and villages, where they do not 
already exist. 

A taste for flowers and decorative plants accompanies the 
development of culture and refinement as naturally as the 
taste for music or art, and as the florist depends upon this 
taste for his living, he should endeavor to increase this inter- 
est by all legitimate means. In large cities where there are 
public parks and botanical gardens, well kept and tastefully 
decorated, the people insensibly acquire an increased taste 
for fine plants and flowers ; but in communities where no such 
parks or gardens exist, the grower can best reach cultivated 
people by a flower show, thus creating an interest in his 
plants, and developing a market for them. In the Eastern 
states as well as in England, flower shows are given because 
the taste is already cultivated, and the public desires to see the 
best the gardeners can produce. The temptation of substan- 
tial prizes, and still more, the prospect of greater reputation 
in his communit}', is an inducement to the grower to make 
the best efforts possible to surpass his neighbor, so that the 
combined results of these individual efforts is the display of 
such a collection as under other circumstances would rarely 
be brought together. 

In most of the large cities where horticultural societies exist, 
monthly exhibitions are held, at which papers are read of 
interest to the craft, and subjects of importance in both flori- 
culture and horticulture are freely discussed. At the autumn 
show, however, the chrysanthemum holds chief place. It 
has developed so quickly and grandly from its unassuming 



Chrysanthemum Shows and Organizations. 89 

ancestors that the family hkeness has scarcely been retained, 
and is not easily recognized except by those who have an inti- 
mate acquaintance with the plants. Both Chinese and Japa- 
nese types have produced so many different individuals of 
marvelous beauty, that at present they are named by the hun- 
dreds, thousands perhaps appearing every 3^ear to displace 
their less favored predecessors. So great has been the 
demand for new varieties, that one dollar is considered a fair 
price for the merest twig that the florist must cultivate for 
nearly a year before he can see it bloom. If it were not for 
the fostering influence of the shows this spirit would soon 
weaken and die. 

One who has ever seen a chrysanthemum show will need no 
further invitation to following exhibitions, than the simple 
announcement of time and place. Those who have never 
seen a chr^^santhemum show should b\^ all means avail them- 
selves of the first opportunity that presents itself, and they 
will never regret it. When going to the show, above all do 
not forget the children ; they have a natural love for flowers, 
and nothing can give them more lasting pleasure and happi- 
ness, than the cultivation of this love of theirs, until they and 
the flowers are fast and inseparable companions. 

Notes on Exhibitions. — Numerous innovations are urged 
in the way of exhibiting chrysanthemums, and it is vn^cU to 
encourage all practical ideas and add new features. We 
might borrow from the French the method of grouping and 
displaying plants in bloom, the prize to be awarded for nov- 
elty, combined with good taste. All effort to "dress" or 
rather to deform the bloom should be discountenanced. This 
practice, however, has happily never been indulged in to a 
great extent on this side of the Atlantic. To one possessing 
a sense of propriety and good taste, what is more ridiculous 
than to exhibit the blooms on flat cards or boards, squeezing 
them out to their fullest extent ; to curl their petals with ivory 



go Chrysantheimwi Culture for Amef tea. 

tongs, and snip and contort them with tweezers, as well as to 
insert foreign petals that deprive them of all their grace and 
beauty ! 

There is an instance on record where an enterprising com- 
petitor, by a cunning trick, secured for several years the 
premium for the finest cut flow^ers at the Liverpool Chrysan- 
themum Show. The blooms of the Chinese varieties were most 
shown in those days ; they were exhibited on a light wooden 
bench sloping to the front like a writing desk, with numerous 
holes in its top through which the stem was passed to the inside, 
where a zinc tube was usually fixed which contained water to 
receive the end of the stem. By this means the blooms, in 
many cases, especially the flat spreading sorts, were drawn 
tightly down on the board, or exhibition stands, as they were 
called. This mode of exhibition afforded ample facilities for 
the would-be prize winner, so that in performing the opera- 
tion of ''dressing" his blooms he brought his cunning into 
play. With the aid of tweezers and glue pot, several blooms 
were used to make one, by taking the finest petals from 
choice flowers, thus greatly augmenting the size of the exhibi- 
tion blocfms that he was so long famous for growing(?). So 
dexterously did he unite the parts that he succeeded in baflling 
both his competitors and the judges for years. The exhibitor 
who could successfully employ such a device at one of our 
exhibitions, where the blooms are exhibited in vases or tall 
glasses, would indeed be a genius ! 

The schedules of shows should be drawn up by people of 
refined tastes. Beauty of petal, form and color, are more to 
be sought than monstrosities that rival in form the Globe arti- 
chokes. Prizes might also be offered for single chrysanthe- 
mums. Intending exhibitors should be careful that they thor- 
oughly understand the meaning of the schedules or regulations 
of the society offering prizes. If the slightest doubt is felt, 
a clear idea of what is meant should be obtained from the 



QI 




Harry T. Widener. 



92 Chrysanthemu7n Culture for Avierica. 

secretary of the exhibition, or disappointment may result on 
account of exhibiting in the wrong class ; being disqualified 
for showing clusters of flowers when individual blooms were 
expected, or showing bush plants, when plants grown to a 
single stem were to be exhibited. Be sure that everything is 
distinctively understood, and if plants or flowers must be sent 
a considerable distance, make such calculations that they 
may arrive at the time designated by the promoters of the 
exhibition. 

In the transportation of specimen plants, the stakes should 
be drawn together by means of a stout string, as they travel 
more safely and are less liable to be broken when tied in this 
manner. As soon as the plants reach the exhibition hall, the 
stakes may be pressed back to their original position, which 
they will retain by pressing the dirt firmly around the base of 
each. 

The shipping of cut flowers to exhibition points is always 
attended with anxiet}^, and to have them arrive in perfect condi- 
tion requires great care. Those having boxes made expressly 
for the purpose do not require any suggestions, but the ama- 
teur who has no complete outfit will do well to observe the 
following hints : All flowers should be cut and placed in water 
at least twenty-four hours before shipping. Flowers that are 
opening too early should be cut at once, with long stems, even 
if a week before the time, and placed in a cool dark shed or 
cellar, where the atmosphere is dry. A piece of the stem 
should be cut off every third day, and the water changed. 

In packing, wrap each flower carefully in tissue paper, just 
tightly enough not to bruise. The}^ should then be placed in 
boxes or baskets, in tiers, so that they may not press upon 
each other. In boxes, strips should be nailed far enough 
apart to prevent the flowers from chafing, the stems to be 
held in place with other strips, using damp paper as a pack- 
ing between each layer of stems. The same method should 



Chrysantheniuni Shows and Organizations. 



93 



be carried out in basket packing, except that strong string is 
to be used instead of wooden strips. Do not allow the petals 
to become w-et during packing. In staging the flowers, all 
those with long and drooping petals w^ill require to be gently 
shaken before placing in position, remembering ahvays to 
make a new surface at the end of each stem by cutting off a 
piece before again placing them in water upon the stage. 
Labeling should be legibly and neatly done, placing the names 
conveniently in front of each flow-er. In arranging the flow- 
ers, the large ones should be at the back, the smaller ones 
forming the front rows. 




CHAPTER IX. 



Classification. 

HJ^JJ^ VERY chrysanthemum grower is well aware that the 
I large flowering varieties have for many years past 

^^g^ been divided into certain well marked distinctive sec- 
tions, and that more recently they have been classified 
under the heading of Incurved, Reflexed, Anemone, Japanese, 
Japanese Reflexed, and Japanese Anemone. The first attempt 
to classify the chrysanthemum was by Haworth, in 1833, at 
which time there were included only forty-eight varieties, 
which were divided into six sections as follows : 

Ranuculus-flowered, Marigold-flowered, 

Ranuculus-flowered, incurved, Tassel-flowered, 

China-Aster-flowered. Tassel-flowered, double. 

In 1836 another writer contributed a new arrangement or 
classification of the chr3^santhemum, the basis of which was 
to group varieties in classes of the same color. Twelve 
divisions are given, and it appears to be of value only from 
the fact of its containing a table of fifty-nine sorts, which 
were all those in cultivation at the close of the preceding 
year. 

The classification of the chr3'santhemum at the present day 
is a matter of no small difficulty. The hybridizers have 
worked much improvement in the different classes, owing to 

(94) 



95 




Fabiau de Mediana. 



g6 Chrysanthejniun Culture for A 7nerica. 

the freedom with which they respond to their numerous 
experiments. The different classes have been so crossed' and 
intermixed that many of them have lost their identity. Sev- 
eral varieties at the present time are of doubtful classification ; 
even the good old CuUingfordii, so long known as a prominent 
type of the true reflexed section, came near being tossed into 
a new class by the National Chrysanthemum Society of Eng- 
land. 

JAPANESE. 

A positive definition cannot be given to embrace all the 
numerous varieties that claim relationship to this class at the 
present time. The greater numbers of leading varieties are 
so distinctly marked that almost each variety would require a 
special description, although the general range of character 
can be indicated without regard to colors, which are much 
more diversified, brighter and richer than in any other class. 
The forms of the florets and blooms are ample for distinguish- 
ing the chief types. In all well developed Japanese blooms 
the short tubular disk florets are absent, their place being 
taken by florets either flat, fluted, quilled or tubulated ; of 
varying length, from short straight spreading florets, to long 
drooping, twisted or irregularly incurved ones. In breadth 
the petals also vary much, some being an inch in width, while 
others are scarcely larger than a stout thread ; some also have 
the tip of the florets cupped, hollowed or curved upwards, or 
the}^ are strangely lacerated. The great variety of characters 
has led to the proposal of several different methods of classifi- 
cation, founded upon the form of the florets. One makes 
three groups : first, ribbon florets, like Meg Merrilies ; second, 
twisted, as Yellow Dragon ; third, thread, like Cossack. 
Another makes four sections ; flat florets, like Peter the 
Great ; florets partly quilled, like Soliel Levant ; florets fluted, 
like Cry Kang, and florets incurved, like Comte de Germin3\ 
It is not our purpose here to attempt to divide the main group 



Classification. qj^ 

up into these separate classes. Following the catalogue of 
the National Society of England, we separate but one section 
from the main group, namely the Japanese Reflexed, all of 
which, however, can be exhibited in the ordinary Japanese 
class. 

Japanese Types. 

Avalanche. L. Canning, Mad. Baco, Etoile de Lyon, 

W. W. Coles, Mrs. W. A. Harris, Eynsford White, Mrs. Irving Clark. 

Japanese Licun/ed Types. 

Ada Spaulding, Grandiflorum, Edwin Molyneux, Thunberg, 

Comte de Germiny, Pelican, Stanstead White, Mr. H. Cannell. 

JAPANESE REFLEXED. 

The institution of this group may be regarded as an experi- 
ment, and it is possible that some slight modification may be 
requisite when it is thoroughly tested. The accepted type 
for this section is Elaine, with flat, straight, spreading or 
refiexed florets ; and a number of varieties, with both large 
and small blooms, can be selected, in which these characters 
are sufficiently well marked to render grouping an easy matter. 

Japanese Reflex ed Types. 

Alcyon, Phoebus, Vallee d' Andorre, Jeanne Delaux 

Elaine, Pres. Hyde, La Triumphante, Mad. C. Desgranges 

INCURVED. 

The varieties belonging to this section are chiefly of Chinese 
origm. They are distinguished by the globular form and 
regular outline of the flowers. The incurved flower should be 
as nearly the shape of a globe as possible, the florets broad 
and smooth, regularly arranged, round at the tip, and the color 
clear and decided. A hollow center or a prominent eye is a 
serious defect, as is also a roughness in the flowers or uneven- 
ness in outline and want of freshness in the outward florets. 
The entire class is characterized by an excellent habit of 



98 Chrysanthemum Culture for America. 

growth and is good for specimens. As the name impHes, all 
the florets, which are strap-shaped, curve towards the center, 
and only the backs of the florets are seen in the most perfect 
flowers. 

Incitrved Types, 

Empress of India, Jardin des Plantes, Mrs. S. Coleman, Violet Tomlin, 
Queen of England, Mrs. Heale, Jeanne d' Arc, Golden Beverly. 

REFLEXED. 

The Reflexed varieties differ chiefly from the incurved by the 
outward or reflex curve of the floret, so that it is chiefly the 
inner surface of the floret which is seen. The varieties form- 
ing this class are vigorous yet compact growers. The flowers 
are of medium size, more or less spherical in form, and are 
remarkable for their bright and effective colors. The flowers 
should be perfectly circular in outline, without a trace of thin- 
ness in the center, and with broad overlapping florets. The 
flowers of most of the reflexed varieties are too flat, but are val- 
uable for their distinct character and rich coloring, while the 
greater proportion of them make good specimens. 

Reflexed Types. 

Cullingfordi, Julia Lagravere, White Christine, Phidias, 

Annie Salter, Dr. Sharp, V^ebb's Queen, Temple of Solomon. 

LARGE ANEMONES. 

''The distinctive characteristic of the flowers of this class 
is their large size, high, neatly formed centers and regularly 
shaped ray florets. The Large Anemones have two distinct 
kinds of florets, one the quill, forming the center or disc ; and 
the other flat and more or less horizontally arranged, form- 
ing the border or ray florets. In the flowers which most 
nearly approach perfection, we have broad ray florets, so reg- 
ularly arranged as to form a circle, and the center hemispher- 
ical, with no trace of hollowness." 




One of I lie N'eiv Japanese forrns. 



lOO Chrysanthemum Cidtiire fo7' America. 

Large A7icnione Types. 

Thorpe, Jr., Geo. Sand, Gladys Spaulding, Gluck, 

Louis Bonamy, Mrs. M. Russell, Mrs. Pethers, Aquisition, 

JAPANESE ANEMONES. 

" The flowers of the varieties constituting this group are 
remarkable for their large size and fantastic form. The disc 
is more or less regular in form, but the ray florets vary con- 
siderably in length, breadth and arrangement ; in some flow- 
ers they are narrow and much twisted, in others they are 
broad and curled, and in some instances the ray florets droop 
and form an elegant fringe." 

Japanese Anemone Types. 

Fabian de Mediana, Mad. R. Owen, Sabine, Ratapoil, 

Soeur Dorothee Souille, Duchess of Edinburg, Mad. Bertha Pigny, Bacchus. 

POMPONS. 

These are all small compact blooms, and are favorites with 
many on account of their neat growing habit and free bloom- 
ing qualities. The French growers gave them this name from 
the resemblance of the flower to the tuft or pompon upon the 
soldiers' caps. The blooms are nearly globular, being slightly 
flattened and average about one-and-a-half inches in diame- 
ter, the florets of each bloom being of a single kind. 

Poinpoji Types. 

Bob, General Canrobert, Snowdrop, Souvenir de Jersey, 

Cedo Nulli, President, Osiris, Vald'Or. 

POMPON ANEMONES. 

"The Anemone Pompons are of a dwarf growth, having 
small flowers, with a center or disc of quilled florets, and 
more or less regularly arranged ray florets. As in the large 
anemones, the disc should be high, full and neat, and the ray 
florets flat, and so regularly arranged as to be more or less 
circular in outline." 



Classifica lion . i o i 

Poi7zp07i Ajicmone Types. 

Queen of Anemones, Virginale, Marguerite de Coi, Sydonie, 

Mr. Astie, Rose Marguerite, Miss Nightingale, Calliope. 

SWEET SCENTED CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 

There have been several varieties in cultivation possess- 
ing a noticeable perfume, but it was not until the introduction 
of that delicately perfumed variety, Nymphaea, two seasons 
ago, that the}^ became generally known, and claimed attention 
on account of their fragrance. This variety is of American 
origin ; the fiow^ers are of the purest white, and about two 
inches in diameter. They have somewhat of the form and 
fragrance of the well known pond lily, being borne separatel}^ 
on long stems. They are extremely valuable for cut flowers, 
while their delicate perfume and chaste character make them 
desirable for the finest floral work. The variety is of vigorous 
growth and make fine specimen plants. The following varie- 
ties are sweet scented : 

Nymphasa, (see cut, p. 69), General Canrobert, Piogne, 

Scapin, Dr. Sharp, Lord Derby. 

SYNONYMS. 

The subject of double named or synonymous chrysanthe- 
mums is a matter of no small imporrance to the cultivator, 
and is a practice that cannot be too strongly condemned. 
This practice is followed mainly for the purpose of enhancing 
their value from a commercial point of view, although it may 
sometimes have arisen from accident ; but in either case the 
disappointment caused is alike. In order to mitigate as far 
as possible the annoyance likely to arise from two or more 
names being given to one variety, we publish a list of those 
most likely to be met with at the present time, w^hich is based 
upon a list published by N. Davis, of Camberwell, England, 
supplemented by additions from other sources. 



I02 Chrysaiithtmiim Culture for Aiiierica. 

CHRYSANTHEMUM SYNONYMS. 

Name. Synoyiytn. 

Alice Bird Buttercup. 

Alix Voltaire. 

Ambrosia Harry Townsend. 

Angelina President Sanderson. 

Albert de Norios Albert. 

Aigle d'Or Berrol, Drin Drin. 

Album Striatum Striatum. 

Alderley Mrs. Huffington. 

Aregina Inner Temple. 

Beethoven St. Patrick. 

Boule de Argent Silver Ball. 

Baron Beust Bernard Palissy. 

Beauty of St. John's Wood Princess of Wales. 

Beaute du Nord Bixio. 

Bendigo Mabel Ward. 

Belie Paule Belle Pauline. 

Bertier Rendatler Mme. Bertier Rendatler, Curiosity, 

Bob Maroon Model. 

Bonnington Fernand Feral. 

Bouquet Fait M. Planchenau. 

Bruce Findlay Golden Empress of India, Lord Al- 

cester. 

Belle Hickey Empress of Japan. 

Chinaman La Chinoise. 

Christin, (White) Mrs. Forsyth. 

Canary Cherub Canary. 

Comte de Morny Purple Pompon. 

Christmas Number Princess of Teck. 

Carmen Carmien. 

Ceres White Ceres. 

Cossack The Cossack. 

Claire Alonzio Golden Mad. Domage. 

Chromatelle Gloire d'Or. 

Charlie Sharman W. M. Singerly. 

Christm.as Eve Mrs. H. Cannell. 

Crystal Wave Stonewall Jackson, Mrs. Potter'. 

Defiance Marguerite de Coi. 

Delice d'Automne Rose Mignon. 



Ch rvs a n the))? u ))i Synonyms, 



103 




Leopard 

Name. Synonym. 

Delphine Caboche Miquellon. 

Dr. Bois Duval Scarlet Gem, Little Bob. 

Dr. Rozas Dr- Rogers, Dr. Rossa. 

Drin Drin Berrol. 

Elaine Mrs. Marsham, White Aigle. 



I04 Chrysanthemum Culture for America, 

Name. Synonym. 

Elsie Eliza. 

Emperor of China Webb's Queen. 

E. C. Jukes Monsieur Devielle, 

Early Rose Queen La Frisure. 

Empress of India , Lady St. Clair, Snowball, White Queen, 

Mrs. Cunningham. 

Erectum Superbum The Daimio. 

Early Red Dragon L'llle des Plaisirs. 

Emily Dale Golden Queen of England. 

E. Sanderson Mr. Evans. 

Empress of Japan Belle Hickey. 

Flamme du Punch Punch. 

Fleur de Marie George Hock, Mr. Cole. 

Fabias de Maderanaz Fabian de Mediana. 

F. A. Davis Jeanne Delaux. 

Favorite de Solleville Marguerite Solleville. 

Fernand Feral Bonnington. 

Flora Yellow Perfection, Late Flora. 

Franconette Dufour Mad. Franconette Dufour. 

Gillardia Val d'Andorre. 

Golden Empress of India Bruce Findlay. 

Gloire de France La France. 

Golden Eagle Orange Perfection. 

Golden Circle Golden St. Thais. 

Golden George Glenny Mrs. C. H. Glover, Mrs. Dixoa 

Golden M'Ue Marthe Miss Oubridge. 

Golden Queen of England Emily Dale. 

George Gordon L' Africaine. 

Geo. Hock Fleur de Marie. 

Gloire d'Or Chromatelle. 

Glory Sarnia Glory. 

Golden Dragon Yellow Dragon. 

Golden Jardin des Plantes Golden Mad. Domage. 

Golden Mad. Castex Desgrange. . . .G. Wermig. 

Golden Mad. Domage Golden Jardin des Plantes. 

Golden Rhine L'Or du Rhin. 

Grandiflorum Mr. Barnes. 

Gloire Rayonnante Porcupine, Hedgehog. 

Gold Mrs. R. Elliott. 

Harry Townsend Amy Furz. 



Chrysanthemuin Synonyms. 105 

Name. Synonym. 

Helvetie Helvetia. 

Hebden Bridge Berrol. 

Illustration Lucinda. 

Incognito Mrs. Sharp. 

Inner Temple Aregina, Refulgence. 

Jeanne Delaux Japon Fleuri, F. A. Davis. 

Jardin des Plantes Mad. Domage. 

John Salter Mrs. Howe. 

J. Hillier La Bienvenue. 

Jeanne D'Arc .... Mad. Madelein Tezier, 

Khedive The Khedive. 

Lord Derby Odoratum Purpureum. 

Lord Alcester Princess Imperial. 

L'Africaine George Gordon. 

L'Aube Matinale L'Aube Nationale, Salmoneum plenum. 

LTnfante d'Espagne Soliel Levant. 

L'Or du Rhin Golden Rhine. 

La Bienvenue J. Hillier. 

La France Gloire de France. 

La Frisure Early Rose Queen. 

Lady St. Clair Empress of India. 

Lady Trevor Lawrence Mrs. Beale. 

Late Duchess Virginale. 

Late Flora Flora. 

La Chinoise Chinaman. 

Little Bob Scarlet Gem. 

Lucinda Illustration. 

Luxembourg Mrs. Wood. 

Lakme Lincoln's Inn. 

Lincoln's Inn Lakme. 

Mrs. Marsham Elaine. 

Mrs. George Rundle Mrs. George Parne. 

Mrs. Sharpe Incognito. 

Mrs. Wood Luxembourg. 

Mrs. George Parnell Mrs. George Rundle. 

Mrs. Frank Thomson G. W. Drover. 

Mottled Beverly Rotundiflora. 

Mount Edgcumbe Mrs. George Rundle. 

Mr. Piercy Mad. Pecoul. 

Mrs. Cunningham Empress of India. 



io6 Chrysanthemum Culture for America. 

Natne. Synonym. 

Mrs. Huffington Alderley. 

Mrs. R. Elliott Gold. 

Mrs. Irving Clark Volunteer. 

Mrs. J. N. Gerard Mrs. Dunnet 

Mrs. Dunnett Mrs. J. N. Gerard. 

Marvel Mrs. H. Wellam. 

Mrs. H. Wellam Marvel. 

Mrs. H. Cannell Christmas eve. 

Mrs. Potter Stonewall Jackson. 

M. Castex Nouvelle Alveole. 

Mrs. Alpheus Hardy Ostrich Plume. 

Mabel Ward Bendigo. 

Mme. Bertier Rendatler Bertier Rendatler. 

Mme. Desgranges G. Wermig. 

Mad. Domage Jardin des Plantes. 

Mme. Greame Virginale. 

Mme. Pilbetz Leopold Catalin. 

Mme. Seux Mme. Seny. 

Mile. Augustine Gauthent Augustine. 

Madeleine Tezier M'lle Madeleine Tezie. 

Marguerite de Coi Defiance. 

Marguerite de York Sunflower. 

Marguerite Solleville Marquis de Telleville. 

Marie Longarre Illustration. 

Maroon Model Bob 

Martha Harding Thomas Todman. 

Miquellon Delphine Caboche. 

Miss Marechaux Miss Thurza. 

Miss Oubridge Golden M'lle. Martha. 

Miss Thurza Miss Marechaux. 

M. Deveille E. C. Jukes. 

Mr. Dixon Mrs. Dixon. 

Mr. J. J. Hillier Mr. John Laing. 

Mr. John Laing Mr. J.J. Hillier. 

Mr. Mancy Petite Mignon, M. Dufoy. 

M. Moussillac Mousillac. 

M. Planchenau Bouquet Fait. 

Mr. Barnes Grandiflora. 

Mr. Corbay Mr. Drain. 

Mr. Cole Fleur de Marie 



Ch r\ 'sa n them u m Synonyms . 



107 




Miss Alpheus Hardy. 
Showing a well-gro'Lvn Pot Plant. 

Name. Synonym. 

Mr. Evans Oliver Cromwell. 

Mrs. Howe John Salter. 

Mr. J. Starling Tricolor. 

Mr. Murray President. 

Mrs. Beale Lady Trevor Lawrence, 

Mrs. C. H. Glover Golden George Glenny. 



io8 ChrysanthemuTn Culture for America. 

Name. Synonym. 

Mrs. Mary Morgan Pink Perfection. 

Mrs. Forsyth White Christine. 

Mrs. Dixon Golden George Glenny. 

Mrs. H. J. Jones Yellow Ethel. 

Nanum Sistou. 

Nouvelle Alveole M. Castex. 

October Beauty M. E. Nichols. 

Oliver Cromwell Mr. Evans. 

Orange Perfection Golden Eagle. 

Princess Imperial Lord Alcester. 

Princess of Teck Christmas Number. 

Princess of Wales Beauty of St. John's Wood. 

Pink Perfection Mrs. Mary Morgan. 

President Sanderson Angelina. 

Peter the Great The Czar. 

Pollion Saddington, St. Crouts. 

Pompone Toulousaine Perpetual Toulousaine. 

President Mr. Murray. 

Punch Flamme du Punch. 

Purple Pompon Comte de Morny. 

Perpetual Toulousaine Pompone Toulousaine. 

Porcupine Gloire Rayonnante. 

Primrose League Yellow Snowdrop. 

Queen of England Blush Queen of England. 

Quintus Curtius Curtius Quintus. 

Refulgence Inner Temple, 

Rose Mignon Delice d'Automne. 

R. Ballantyne , Source Japonaise. 

Rotundiflora Mottled Beverly. 

Ralph Brocklebank Mr. Ralph Brocklebank. 

Roseum Superbum Souvenir de Haarlem. 

Robert Bottomley Lady Lawrence. 

Salmoneum plenum L'Aube Matinale. 

Scarlet Gem Little Bob. 

Silver Ball Boule de Argent. 

Sistou Nanum. 

Snowball Empress of India. 

Soliel Levant LTnfant d'Espagne. 

Source Japonaise R. Ballantyne. 

Souvenir de Amsterdam Amsterdam. 



Chrysanthemum Synonyms. 109 

Name. Synonym. 

Souvenir de Haarlem Roseum Superbum. 

Striatum Album Striatum . 

St. Mary Souvenir d'un Ami. 

Sultana Ville d'Hyeres. 

Sunflower Marguerite de York. 

St. Grouts Saddington. 

St. Patrick Beethoven. 

Sarnia Glory Glory. 

Stonewall Jackson Mrs. Potter, Crystal Wave. 

The Daimio Erectum Superbum. 

The Globe White Globe. 

Thomas Tcdman Martha Harding. 

Thorpe Junior J. Thorpe, Jr. 

Tricolor Mr. J. Starling. 

The Czar Peter the Great. 

Thurza Miss Marechaux. 

Undine Little Beauty. 

Val d' Andorre Gillardia. 

Ville D'Hyeres Sultana. 

Virgir^ale Late Duchess. 

Volunteer Mrs. Irving Clark. 

Webb's Queen Emperor of China 

White Aigle Elaine. 

White Beverly Beverly. 

White Queen of England Empress of India, Snowball. 

William Holmes Mr. William Holmes. 

White Christine Mrs. Forsyth. 

White Queen Empress of India. 

White Saddington White St. Crouts. 

White St. Crouts White Saddington. 

W. M. Singerly Charlie Sharman. 

Yellow Dragon Golden Dragon. 

Yellow Ethel Mrs. H. J. Jones. 

Yellow Snowdrop Primrose League. 



CHAPTER X. 



Select Lists of Varieties for J^arious Purposes. 

THE wonderful progress made within the past few years 
in the cuUure of the chrysanthemum renders it diffi- 
cult to give a list of varieties suitable for each partic- 
ular style of culture that would be acceptable to all 
growers. Nearly every grower has his favorites for each spec- 
ial system of cultivation. Within the past few years new 
kinds are annually introduced that eclipse man}^ of the favor- 
ites of each preceding year. To an American grower of the 
present day it is a little amusing to look over a few of the 
works by English and other writers and see the varieties there 
enumerated as the finest in their respective classes. With 
some exceptions there is not one of them that would pass 
muster among the great army of home-raised seedlings that 
annually come into our plant commerce. Many of those va- 
rieties that occupied a prominent position in their respective 
classes, but a few years since, are now relegated to obscurity, 
and varieties of more recent introduction occupy well nigh all 
the honored positions. In view of this it is with hesitation we 
give a list of the best varieties at the present time, lest future 
chroniclers might deride us for our choice of to-day. How- 
ever, if the next decade will produce varieties as superior to 
these of the present time, as the varieties of recent introduc- 
tion are to those grown ten years ago, we will be so thoroughly 

(no) 



Select Lists of Varieties for Various Purposes. iii 

elated at the triumph as to take with complacency any derision 
of our suggestions. 

The following lists are selected with much care, and will be 
found most suitable for the purpose named. We omit varie- 
ties of this year's introduction : 

Forty-eight of the best varieties for specitnen plants or garden decoration. 

Name. Color. 

Cullingfordii , Red. 

Mad. C. Audiguier Pink. 

Mrs. Frank Thomson Pink. 

Domination White. 

Duchess Red. 

Ada Spaulding Pink. 

Lord Byron Bronze. 

Mrs. Bullock White. 

Mrs. Heale Blush white. 

Crown Prince Crimson. 

M. Boyer Pink. 

October Beauty Blush. 

Puritan Blush. 

Pelican White. 

Mrs. Robert Elliott Yellow. 

Grandiflorum Yellow. 

John Thorpe Amaranth. 

Jean d' Arc Blush. 

Gloriosum Yellow. 

Mrs. John Wanamaker Lilac. 

Gold Yellow. 

R. Crawford, Jr Pink. 

Peter the Great Yellow. 

La Triomphante Rose 

Lord Mayor Violet . 

Lambeth White. 

Louis Weille Mauve. 

Robert Bottomley White. 

Venus Blush. 

William Robinson Golden bronze. 

William M. Singerly Purple. 

Leopard Spotted. 



112 Chrysanthemum Culture for America. 

Name. Color. 

W. W. Coles Red. 

Troubadour Pink. 

Nymphaea White. 

Lucretia Cream. 

Mrs. Carnegie Red. 

Lilian B. Bird Pink. 

Empress of India White. 

L. Canning White. 

Mrs. Langtry White. 

Mrs. Vannaman Red. 

Mrs. J. C. Price Yellow. 

Lady Matheson Cream white. 

Little Tycoon Rose. 

William H. Lincoln Yellow. 

Judge Rea Pink. 

The Bride White. 

Forty-eight of the best Japanese varieties, suitable for exhibition florvers 

Baronne de Prailly Pink. 

J. Delaux Crimson. 

Mrs. Mary Weightman Yellow. 

Comte de Germiny Bronze. 

Mrs. C. H. Wheeler Orange red. 

Mad. C. Audiguier Pink. 

Domination White. 

Mrs. Frank Thomson Pink. 

G. F. Moseman Terra cotta. 

George Maclure Amaranth. 

Grandiflorum Yellow. 

Mrs. Winthrop Sargeant Yellow. 

John Thorpe Amaranth. 

Mrs. J.N. Gerard Pink. 

Mrs. A. Waterer White. 

J. Mahood Yellow. 

La Triomphante Rose. 

Le Dauphinois Chrome. 

Le Tonkin Pink. 

Mrs. Langtry White. 

Lord Byron Bronze. 

Mrs. George Bullock White. 



Select Lists of Varieties for Various Purposes. 113, 

Name. Color. 

Magnet Pink. 

Martha Harding Old gold. 

W. H. Lincoln Yellow. 

Pelican White. 

Public Ledger Pearl pink. 

President Arthur Pink. 

R. Brocklebank Yellow. 

R. Crawford, Jr Pink. 

Syringa Peach. 

Thomas Cartledge Buff. 

Charles Pratt Claret. 

Soliel Levant Yellow. 

Lady Lawrence White. 

Miss Mary W^heeler Pink. 

Mrs. T. H. Spaulding White. 

W. W. Coles Red. 

William Robinson Golden bronze. 

H. Cannell Yellow. 

Mrs. Carnegie Red. 

Mrs. A. Hardy White. 

Lilian B. Bird Pink. 

President Spaulding Red. 

Little Tycoon Rose. 

Jessica White. 

Mrs. J. B. Wilson Light. 

The Bride White. 

Twentv-fotir of the best JapanrSi' -raricdcs, suitable for ex/iibition blooms .' > 

Comte de Germiny Bronze. 

Mrs. C. H. Wheeler Orange red. 

Domination White. 

Mrs. Charles Dissel Pink. 

G. F. Moseman Terra cotta. 

G-randiflorum Yellow. 

La Triomphante Rose. 

Mrs. Langtry White. 

Le Tonkin Pink. 

Lord Byron Bronze. 

E. G. Hill Yellow. 

President Arthur Pink. 



114 Chrysa7itheniuni Culture for America. 

Name. Color. 

Robert Bottomley White. 

Thomas Cartledge Buff. 

President Harrison Crimson. 

William Robinson Golden bronze 

Harry E. Widener Yellow. 

Kioto Yellow. 

The Bride White. 

Mrs. Carnegie ' Red. 

President Spaulding Red. 

Mollie Bawn White. 

Lilian B. Bird Pink. 

Little Tycoon Rose. 

T%venty-fotir of the best varieties for bush plants, suitable for exhibition or 

home decorations : 

Cullingfordii Red. 

Grandiflorura Yellow. 

Jean d' Arc Blush. 

Mrs. John Wanamaker Lilac. 

Gold Yellow. 

R. Crawford, Jr Pink. 

Lord Byron Bronze. 

Montplaisant Crimson. 

M. Boyer Pink. 

Puritan Blush . 

Mrs. Langtry . .White. 

Robert Bottomley White. 

Venus Blush. 

William Robinson Golden bronze. 

William M. Singerly Purple. 

Mrs, R. Elliott Yellow. 

Mrs. A. Hardy White. 

Mrs. Carnegie Red. 

The Bride White. 

La Triomphante Pink. 

Empress of India White. 

Gloriosum Yellow. 

Mrs. "V annaman Red. 

Judge Rea Pink. 



Select Lists of Varieties for Various Purposes. 115 

Twenty-four of the best Chinese varieties, suitable for exhibition blooms :)C ^ 
Name. Color. 

Alfred Salter Rose pink. 

Bronze Jardin des Plantes Bronze. 

Bronze Queen of England Bronze. 

Cullingfordii Red. 

Empress of India White. 

Emily Dale Yellow. 

Miss E. A. Jacquith Bronze. 

Golden Empress Yellow. 

Golden Queen of England Yellow. 

Jardin des Plantes Yellow. 

Jean d'Arc White. 

John Salter Bronze. 

Mrs. John Wanamaker Lilac. 

Lord Wolseley Bronze red. 

Lady Carey Rose. 

Mrs. M. Morgan Light pink. 

Mrs. Heale Blush white. 

M. Brunlees Indian red. 

Mabel Ward Yellow. 

Nil Desperandum Orange. 

Lady Slade Pink. 

Prince Albert Crimson. 

Princess Teck White blush. 

Sir S. Carey Amaranth. 

Twelve of the best varieties for hush plants, suitable for exhibition or conserva^ 

lory decoration : 

Cullingfordii Red. 

Grandiflorum Yellow. 

Mrs. John Wanamaker Lilac. 

Gold Yellow. 

M. Boyer Pink. 

Puritan Blush. 

Mrs. Robert Elliott Yellow. 

Mrs. Langtry White. 

Nymphea White. 

Montgolfier Bro-nze. 

Mrs. Carnegie Red. 

Lady St. Clair White. 



Ii6 Chrysanthemum Culture for America. 

Twelve of the best Japanese varieties, suitable for exhibitioti blooms : 
Name. Color. 

Comte de Germiny Bronze. 

Etoile de Lyon Lilac rose. 

G. F. Moseman Terra cotta. 

Grandiflorum Yellow. 

Mrs. Langtry White. 

Harry E. Widener Yellow. 

Mrs. J. T. Emlen Crimson. 

Robert Bottomley White. 

The Bride White. 

Avalanche White. 

Mrs. Carnegie Red. 

Lilian B. Bird Pink. 

Twelve of the best varieties, suitable for growing as standards : 

Comte de Germiny Bronze. 

Duchess Red. 

Mrs. Frank Thomson Pink. 

G. F. Moseman Terra cotta. 

Gold Yellow. 

Jean d'Arc Blush. 

Grandiflorum Yellow. 

R. Crawford, Jr Pink. 

Robert Bottomley White. 

Mrs. J. B. Wilson White. 

Mrs. Carnegie Red. 

Mad. C. Audiguier Pink. 

Twelve of the best Anemone-flowered varieties, suitable for exhibition blooms 

Eva .... Salmon. 

Empress Lilac. 

George Sand Bronze. 

Mrs. Judge Benedict White. 

Lividia Blush. 

M. B . Pigmy Rose. 

Nouvelle Alveole Pmk. 

Gladys Spaulding Bronze. 

Thorpe, Jr Yellow. 

Mrs. Charles Pratt White. 

Fabian de Mediana Lilac. 

Soeur Souille Blush white. 



Select Lists of Varieties f 07" Various Purposes. 117 

7\velve of the best Chinese va^'ieties, suitable for exhibition bloofus : 
Navie. Color. 

Bronze Queen of England Bronze. 

Cullingfordii Red. 

Empress of India White. 

Emily Dale Yellow. 

Jean d'Arc Blush. 

Jardin des Plantes Yellow. 

Mrs. John Wanamaker Lilac. 

Lord Wolseley Bronze red. 

Mrs. Heale Blush white. 

Prince Alfred Crimson. 

Princess Teck Violet blush. 

M. Brunlees Indian red. 



CHAPTER XI. 



Calendar of Monthly Operations, 

JAia'ARY. 

THE operations of this month are probably the least of 
any month in the year. Those who require a large 
number of plants will of course put in every cutting 
possible. Where only a few plants are required, thin 
out the suckers, as they appear, to the number desired from 
each plant. Encourage by a little liquid manure so as to get 
strong cuttings early next month. Towards the end of the 
month some of the stronger cuttings inserted in December 
will be rooted, and will need potting off, and should then be 
kept close to the glass to prevent a spindling growth. Pre- 
pare a compost of turfy loam, well rotted manure and sand ; 
screen, or break it up fine, as it will be required for small 
pots. Where good cuttings are scarce, stout suckers can be 
obtained with a few rootlets attached ; pot off singly and 
keep close until they commence to start, when plenty of ven- 
tilation can be given. 

FEBRUARY. 

All cuttings inserted in December will be ready for potting 
this month. Use two and a-half inch pots and the soil pre- 
pared last month. Examine the cuttings, and if any eyes are 
found on the stem that will be below the soil, they should be 

(ii8) 



Calendar of Monthly Operations. 119 

rubbed off, or they will throw up suckers which will rob the 
main stem of its nourishment. The chief batch of cuttings 
should be inserted this month, and close attention paid to 
those already in, and the potting of those requiring it. 
Towards the end of the month, many will require shifting 
into three and a-half inch pots. 

The soil for this potting should be good fibrous loam or 
rotted sod, with a little sand and leaf-mold added. 

Chrysanthemum seed may also be sown this month in pans 
or boxes, in slight bottom heat until the seedlings appear. As 
soon as they appear, however, they should be placed close to 
the glass on a shelf in the greenhouse or pit. If the green 
fly appears, dust with snuff or tobacco powder. A still better 
plan is to spread some tobacco stems or refuse from the to- 
bacco factories upon the benches and among the plants, as the 
fumes from this will keep the fly away. 

MARCH. 

During this month many things will need attention. Most 
of the cuttings inserted in February will need potting and 
many of them will require shifting into larger pots. Have all 
the pots clean, especially on the inside, using a small piece of 
crock in each pot of four-inch size and larger, and have the 
soil rich and of such material as has been advised. Ex- 
amine plants already potted, and if a vigorous growth has 
commenced, stop them by nipping out the bud in the centre 
of the shoot when bush plants are desired, but if standards 
are wanted the side buds must be rubbed out, and the main 
shoot encouraged in every way possible. Give abundance of 
air and never let them become dry or pot-bound. The only 
secret in their cultivation is to keep up a vigorous growth 
from early spring until they are in bloom in your conservatory 
or upon the stage of an exhibition hall. Continue propa- 
gating throughout this month, securing all the cuttings possi- 
ble of rare sorts and as many as are needed of other varieties. 



I20 Chrysaiiiheinuni Culture for America. 

About the end of the month the early sown seedhngs will re- 
quire potting from the seed boxes or pans using the two and a 
half inch pots, and after potting keep near the light but 
shade from the bright sun, until they are thoroughly established. 
Keep the houses in which the established plants are growing 
very cool, but give all the sunshine possible. Frost, of course, 
must never be allowed to enter. In the southern states, from 
this time on the plants will do best in cold frames, without 
artificial heat, until the time of planting out. 

APRIL. 

Keep a close watcii upon the cuttings all this month ; get 
as many in as are required, pot up all that are rooted, and 
keep moving into larger pots as the growth of the plants de- 
mand it. Most of the plants rooted in February and earlier 
will now be in six-inch pots. The stronger growing varieties 
will require a little larger pots than the more delicate sorts. 
The soil must now be richer than for previous potting, using 
about three parts of well rotted loam of a sandy nature, one 
part of well decayed manure, and a six inch pot-full each of 
bone meal and finely-broken charcoal to a bushel of tliis com- 
post. Abundance of air must be given this month in the 
houses where chrysanthemums are grown. Where good cold 
frames are at hand all plants will be better in them than in the 
houses, S3Tinging in the evenings after hot days. Attend care- 
fully to stopping and training. The plants intended for spec- 
imens must all be selected this month and their training be- 
gun. Always have duplicate plants when growing for exhibi- 
tion ; if yow want to show twenty-five plants start fifty for 
that purpose, and by the time the shows take place, you may 
be able to select from the fifty, the twenty-five needed for ex- 
hibition. If room and the conveniences are at hand it is even 
better to start with one hundred. So many accidents and dis- 
appointments occur that it is best to make liberal allowances 
for them. Prepare beds and borders out of doors, where 



Calendar of Monthly Operations. 121 

plants are to stand during the summer. In the south all the 
old plants should be taken up this month and divided, replant- 
ing where desired. Plants standing in cold frames or out of* 
doors should be placed upon boards or coal ashes to prevent 
the worms from entering the pots. Keep also a sharp look- 
out for the little black fly that is so prone to infest them. If 
syringed a few times a week with clear soot water, it will keep 
them away and give the foliage a vigorous appearance. 

MAY. 

Many varieties, especially the pompons, may 3'et be rooted, 
all making convenient plants in the fall for decorative pur- 
poses. Plants should all be in the open air by this time, 
those in pots standing upon ashes or boards as recommended. 
All plants not intended for pot culture must be now planted 
out in a place prepared for them as has been directed. Place a 
stout stake to each plant and secure it with some strong ma- 
terial. Attend to the watering carefully after setting out until 
the plants have taken hold in the soil. Specimen plants 
should be in about eight inch pots at this time ; do not be in 
a hurry to get them into their flowering pots ; give a little 
weak liquid manure as soon as the plants are making a vigor- 
ous growth. By cutting back a few plants at this season to 
six or eight inches in height they will develop in season for 
late-flowering, and by cutting back a few every week until the 
middle of July, a succession of them may be had. If large 
blooms are desired the shoots must not be stopped, but al- 
lowed to grow unchecked. Select a shoot for each bloom to 
be grown on a plant, put a firm stake to it, and nip away all 
suckers and side shoots as they appear. Seedlings should also 
be potted as they advance in growth. Prepare a compost 
heap for the final potting into their flowering pots and see that 
a sufficient stock of suitable pots is at hand, and have them 
washed and put in readiness for the operation. Prepare tanks 
or barrels for liquid manure, and stakes and wire for training. 



122 Chrysayitheinuni Culture for America. 

JUNE. 

The principal duty of this month is the transferring of the 
plants into larger pots, and many of the most vigorous plants 
that are of good size may be put into their blooming pots. 
Many, however, that were propagated late must not be put 
into their blooming pots until July. The final potting is of 
the utmost importance, as the ultimate success depends in no 
small degree upon this operation. The soil for this purpose 
is described elsewhere in this book, and the pots should be 
from nine to twelve inches in diameter for the last change. 
The stopping of all plants in the borders should be continued ; 
always having in mind the desired shape of the plant, in the 
pinching of the shoots. The tying of all specimens must be 
given close attention through this month, as a good founda- 
tion for all specimen plants must be laid early in July. Tie 
down and spread out all long shoots, being careful not to snap 
them off in the operation. The safest way is to tie a piece of 
string or matting from the shoot you intend to tie down, to the 
main stem. When the shoot is then bent the strain comes on 
the string and not on the tender union of shoot to the main 
branch. In potting do not fill the pots too full of soil ; leave 
room for a top dressing of cow manure in August. Those not 
quite ready for their blooming pots will require liquid manure ; 
and the entire lot careful watering, frequent syringing, and a 
sharp lookout for insect pests. 

JULY. 

Plants growing out of doors in the open ground without 
pots must have plenty of water, and the surface not allowed 
to become hard and baked. ^ A working with a rake, or pronged 
hoe, will prevent this if repeated every week. In a very dry 
time a mulch of manure will prevent them from drying out so 
rapidly. The July bud will now be appearing on most varie- 
ties on the points of the strongest and earliest shoots, and 
must be carefully removed at once. Two or three shoots will 



Calendar of Morithly Operations. 123 

appear from below, and the terminal bud on each one of these 
shoots will produce fine blooms. All plants should be put into 
the pots in which they are to bloom this month, and the tying, 
watering, syringing and looking after the insects all closely at- 
tended to. Specimen plants should be set a suitable distance 
apart, and plunged about two thirds the depth of the pots into 
coal ashes or other material that will prevent the influence of 
the sun from reaching them and drying them out. Plants 
which are to bloom in November should not be stopped after 
this month ; such varieties as Grandiflorum should not be stop- 
ped after the first of the month. Syringe the plants occasion- 
ally with quassia water. Do not pot and stop the plants at 
the same time, as each repotting at once sets the roots into 
active growth, and the growth of the top is checked for a 
time. Wait until you see signs of renewed growth, after re- 
potting, before 3''ou begin to stop. Cuttings can be rooted 
this month, but do not root as readily as in spring. Young 
plants started now make pretty objects for the pit or conserva- 
tory late in November and will bloom freely in four-inch pots. 

AUGUST. 

No potting will need to be done this month. The work 
will include a constant attention to watering chiefly, together 
with staking and top-dressing. Such varieties as E. H. Fit- 
ler, Mrs. W. K. Harris and Mrs. Alpheus Hardy are better 
indoors. A mulch of sheep or cow manure may be given this 
month on the tops of the pots during hot weather. If the 
pots are too full of soil to admit of a sufficient dressing, the 
manure can be banked up around the edge of the pot so as to 
preserve a basin on top to hold the water. About the end of 
this month the flower buds will begin to appear at the end of 
the strong young shoots. Beneath each terminal bud will be 
noticed three or four prominent buds growling from the axils 
of the leaves, immediately beneath the flower bud. These 
side shoots, if allowed to remain, would draw considerably 



124 Chrysantheinu77i Culture for America. 

from the nutriment of the bud, and on this account must be 
carefully removed. After their removal, the flowering buds 
begin to swell rapidly, and liberal applications of liquid 
manure must be made. If the buds appear early in August, 
it is best to rub them out and let another shoot come and pro- 
duce another bud which will undoubtedly give the best bloom. 
The crown or terminal bud that forms early in August will 
not as a rule make a good bloom, being liable to be deformed. 
Any buds that appear after the last week in August may be 
retained, as all will make good blooms that form after that 
date. A variety of liquid manures should be on hand all 
through this and the next two months, so as to give the plants 
a change occasionally, which is highly beneficial. 

SEPTEMBER. 

Where large blooms are required, disbudding should be 
closely attended to all through this month, and the tying and 
training of specimen plants should receive the undivided 
attention of every cultivator. Watering, top-dressing and 
syringing are also important points now. Nearly all the 
varieties will be showing their buds by the middle of the 
month, and these must be thinned out in accordance with the 
purpose of the grower. The top-dressing must be resorted 
to in wet weather, as the rain carries the fertility down to the 
roots. Manure water cannot be advantageously applied when 
the weather is very wet, and the top-dressing is the best way 
to furnish them their nourishment. At this time it may be 
piled a couple of inches above the rim of the pot, leaving a 
basin in the center to hold water. All plants intended for 
indoor decoration that have been growing in the open ground 
during the summer, should now be taken up and potted. 
Shade well for a few days, keeping them sprinkled, and grad- 
ually inure them to the full sunlight. Stake carefully, and 
remove only leaves that have wilted and become brown dur- 
ing the operation. 



Cale7idar of Monthly Operations. 125 

OCTOBER. 

In the operations for this month much depends on the 
locahty. In northern latitudes all plants would have to be 
in their flowering quarters by the first of the month, or earlier ; 
while in more favored localities, the middle of this month is a 
good time to move the plants indoors. By the end of Sep- 
tember or first few days of October, all shoots and flower buds 
should be tied for the last time in the position m which it is 
desired to have them remain. This gives them a few weeks 
to turn up and assume a more natural style of growth, than 
when tied in place a few days prior to the exhibition. Keep 
the house in which they are grown well ventilated, and allow 
no surplus water to remain on the floors over night. The dis- 
budding must not be forgotten all through this month, as lit- 
tle shoots and buds will be forming constantly on all the main 
stems, to tlie detriment of the blooms unless speedily removed. 
The plants should b}^ this time become thoroughly accustomed 
to the liquid manure, and it should now be given stronger and 
more frequently, as there will be a great draft on the vital 
resources of the plant at this time in developing its blooms. 
Mildew must be looked after carefully and kept in check by 
abundant ventilation, and in case of extremely dull weather 
a little fire heat will be beneficial. Should mildew appear, 
dust with flour sulphur upon the affected parts. When 
housing the plants, if it is necessary to have all in bloom at 
the same time, shade may be given to the earlier sorts, while 
the more tardy varieties should be exposed to the full sunlight. 
A few light fumigations after the flowers are placed in their 
quarters will entirely rid them of the fly, if there should be 
any remaining upon them, and they will then be in a clean 
healthy condition to come into bloom. Plants grown out of 
doors in the South will require attention at this time. Prep- 
arations should be made to protect them from the first frosts, 
as in this section there are usually a few light frosts about 



126 Chrysanthemum Culture for America. 

the 20th of the month. If protected from these they may 
continue blooming for a month, and be very beautiful objects 
through early November. 

NOVEMBER. 

Liquid manure must be withheld as the flowers expand. 
Give each plant as much room as possible, and arrange the 
plants to the best advantage for displaying their blooms. 
From the beginning of the month most of them will be in 
bloom, and but little more remains to be done in regard to 
cultivation. Careful watering, a brisk, dry atmosphere, and 
abundance of ventilation alone are necessary. It is now 
a good time to go through and see that all kinds are correctly 
labeled, making observations and taking notes for future ref- 
erence. 

DECEMBER. 

Plants that are through blooming should be cut down, leav- 
ing one or two of the growing branches, as, if entirely cut 
down to the soil, cuttings will not be produced freely and 
weak or tender sorts would be liable to succumb entirely. 
In taking out the stakes fill the holes up with soil, in order to 
prevent the water running through without becoming dis- 
tributed through the soil. Some growers insert many cut- 
tings this month, and when this is deemed necessary, the 
work should be proceeded with at once. 

Many little defects will perhaps be observed by the studious 
grower in his selection of varieties at this season, and other 
improvements will doubtless here and there suggest them- 
selves : so, with new purposes and firm resolves he starts out 
on the succeeding season's work before the present season is 
ended. 




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Copyright 1S89 
b> F. R. PIERSON. 



The Queen of 
Autumn" 



GPYSflHTHEIilDPIS 



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HORTICULTURIST'S RULE-BOOK, 

Designed as a pocket companion. The book has been prepared with great care 

and mnch labor. It contains in handy and concise form a great number of 

the rules and receipts required by fruit-growers, truck gardeners, florists, 

farmers, etc. Undoubtedly the best thing of the kind ever published. 



BY L. H. BAILEY, 



Fditor or The American Garden^ Horticulturht of the Cornell Experiment Station and 
traitor oj y/t^ Professor of Horticulture in Cornell Lnwersity. 



I. 
II. 

III. 
IV. 

V. 



VI. 
VII. 

VIII. 
IX. 



X. 



XI. 



XII. 
XIII. 



XIV 



XV. 
Price 



OONTENXS OF 

Insecticides. 

Injurious insects, with preventives 
aiul remedies. 

Fungicides for plant diseases. 

Plant diseases, with preventives 
and remedies. 

Injuries from mice, rabbits, birds, 
etc., with preventives and reme- 
dies. 

Weeds. ^ ^ .. , 

Waxes and washes for grafting and 

f,)r wounds. 
Cements, paints, etc. . 

Seed Tables: i. Quantities required 
for sowing givenareas 2 Weight 
and sizeofseedsofkitchcn garden 
vegetables. 3. Longevity of seeds. 
4. Time required for kitchen gar- 
den seeds to germinate. 
Planting Tables: i. Dates for sow- 
ing or setting kitchen garden veg- 
etables in different latitudes. 2. 
Tender and hardy vegetables .3. 
Usual distances ajaart fur planting 
fruits and vegetables. 4. Number 
of plants required to stt an acre 
at o-iven distances apart. 
Maturity and Yields: i. Time re- 
quired for the maturity of kitchen 
garden vegetables. 2. Time re- 
quired for the bearing o I h uit 
plants. 3. Longevity olfruit plants. 
4 Average vield- of various crops. 
Metbois of keeping and storing 

tViiils and ve^ietahles. 
Multiplication and Propagation of 
Plants: i. Methods otmultiplymg 
plants. 3. Ways of grafting and 
budding. 3. Particular methods 
by which various fruits are propa- 
gated. 4. Stocks used for various 
fruits. 
Standard Measures and Sizes : i . 
Standard flowerpots. 2. Standard 
and legal measures. 3. English 
measures for saleof fruits and veg- 
etables, 
Tables of weights and measures 



THE Book. 

XVI. Miscellaneous tables, figures and 
notes: i. Quantities ot water 
held in pipes and tanks, 2. Ther- 
mometer scales. 3. Effect of wind 
in cooling glass roofs. 4. Per 
cent, of light reflected from glass 
at various angles of inclination. 
5. Weights of various varieties of 
apples per bushel. 6. Amount of. 
various productsyielded by given 
quantities of fruit. 7. Labels. 8. 
Miscellany. 
Rules: 1. Loudon's rules of hor- 
ticulture. 2. Rules of nomencla- 
ture. 3. Rules for exhibition. 

Postal rates and regulations. 
Weather signs, and protection 

from frost. 
Collecting and preserving: r.. 

How to make an herbarium. 2. 
Preserx'ing and printing of flowers 
and other parts of plants. 3. 
Keeping cut-flowers. 4. I'erfum- 
ery. 5. How to collect and pre- 
serve insects. 
Elements, symbols and analyses: 

1. The elements and their chemi- 
cal symbols. 2. Chemical com- 
position of a few common sub- 
stances. Analyses: (a) Fruits 
and Vegetables; {b) Seeds and 
Fertilizers; (c) Soils and Min- 
erals. 

XXII. Names and histories : i. Veg- 
etables which have different 
names in England and America. 

2. Dei ivation of names of various 
fruits and vegetables. 3. Names 
of fruits and vegetables in various 
languages. 4. Periods of culti- 
vation and native countries ofcul- 
tivated plants. 

XVIII. Facts and statistics of horticulture 
and the veuetahle kingdom. 

XXIV. Glossary of technical words used 
hv horticultuiists. 

XXV. Calendar. 



XVII. 

XVIII. 
XIX. 

XX. 



XXI. 



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COVERED LAYER OF VIBURNUM, 



THE NURSERY BOOK 

A Complete Hand-Book of Propagation and Pollination. 

By L. H. BAILEY. 

Uniform in Size and Style with Rule-Book of 1890 Edition. Illustrated. 

This valuable little manual has been compiled at great pains. The author has had 
unusual facilities for its preparation, having been aided by many experts in many directions. 

The book is ab- 

/ solutely devoid 

of theory and 

spec u 1 at ion. 

^ £^''--^^-c*>-^e*i^;»'^^^#j==?s«2SS?.. — u^is»jS»'.'<^rrr^--'-^ri0^'''^^ :t^ ../,^_t.-:, ^piant physiol- 

' ogy, nor with 
any obstruse 
reasons of plant 
growth. It sim- 
ply tells plainly 
and briefly 
what everyone 
who sows a 

seed, makes a cutting, sets a graft, or crosses a flower wants to know. It is entirely new 
and original in method and matter. The cuts number almost 100, and are made especially 
for it, direct from nature. The book treats all kinds of cultivated plants, fruits, vegetables, 
greenhouse plants, hardy herbs, ornamental trees and shrubs, forest trees. 

OONTENTS. 

Chapter I.— Seedage, Chaptkr II.— Separation and IDivision. Chapter III.— 
Layerage. Chai ter IV.— Cuttag:e. SChapter v.— Graftage. Including Grafting, 
Budding, Inarching, etc. 

Chapter VI.— Nursery List. 

This is the great feature of the book. It has an alphabetical list of all kinds of plants, 
with a short statement telling which of the operations described in the first five chapters 
are employed in propagating them. Over 2,000 entries are made in the list. The 
following entries will give an idea of the method : 

ACER (Mapi.e). SapindacecB. Stocks are grown from stratified seeds, which should 
be sown an inch or two deep ; or some species, as A. dasycarpuni, come readily if 
seeds are simply sown as soon as ripe. Some cultural varieties are layered, but bet- 
ter plants are obtained by grafting. Varieties of native species are worked upon 
common or native stocks. The Japanesesorts are winter- worked upon imported A. 
/o/vwoA-Z/iz^;;/ stocks, either by whip or veneer-grafting. Maples can also be budded 
in summer, and they grow readily from cuttings of both ripe and soft wood. 

PHYLLOCACTUS, PHYLLOCEREUS, DISOCACTUS (Leaf-Cactus). Cactecz. 
Fresh seeds grow readily. Sow in rather sandy soil, which is well drained, and 
apply water as for common seeds. When the seedlings appear, remove to a light 
position. Cuttings from mature shoots, three to six inches in length, root readily in 
sharp sand. Give a temperature of about 60°, and apply only sufficient water to 
keep from flagging. If the cuttings are very juicy, they may be laid on dry sand 
for several days before planting. 

GOOSEBERRY. Seeds, for the raising of new varieties should be sown as soon as 
well cured, in lop.m or sandy soil, or they may be stratified and sown together well 
with the sand in the spring. Cuttings six to eight inches long, of the mature wood, 
inserted two-thirds their length, usually grow readily, especially if taken in August 
or September and stored during winter. Stronger plants are usually obtained by 
layers, and the English varieties are nearlv always layered in this country. Mound 
layering is usually employed, th ■ English varieties being allowed to remain in 
layerage two years, but the American varieties only one (Fig. 27). Layerage plants 
are usually set in nursery rows for a year after removal from the stools. Green-lay- 
ering during summer is sometimes practised for new or rare varieties. 

Chapter VII.— Pollination, giving directions for making crosses, etc. 
This book is now completed, and is on sale. Price, in library style, cloth, wide margins^ 

$1 ; Pocket style, paper, narrow margins, 50 cents. 

THE RDRAL PUBLISHING CO., Times Building, Hew York. 



The New Potato Culture 

Bl] ELBERT S. CARMAN, 
Editor of THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 

This book will give the results of the author's investigations and experi- 
ments during the past fifteen years. Its object will be to show all who raise 
potatoes, whether for home use solely or for market as well, that the yield 
may be increased threefold without a corresponding increase in the cost; to 
show that the little garden patch, of a fortieth of an acre perhaps, may just as 
well yield ten bushels as three bushels : to induce farmers and gardeners to ex- 
periment with fertilizers not only as to the kind, that is to say, the constit- 
uents and their most effective proportions, but as to the most economical quan- 
tity to use ; to experiment as to the most telling preparation of the soil, the 
depth to plant, the size of seed, the number or eyes, the distance apart. These 
will be among the subjects considered, not in a theoretical way at all, but as 
the outcome of fifteen years of experimentation earnestly made in the hope of 
advancing our knowledge of this mighty industry. It is respectfully sub- 
mitted that these experiments so long carried on a\ the Rural Grounds have, 
directly and indirectly, thrown more light upon the various problems in- 
volved in successful potato culture, than any other experiments which have 
been carried on in America. Price, Cloth. 75 Cents ; Paper, 40 Cents. 

THE RURAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, Times Building, New York. 

My Handkerchief Garden. EsHjP^ 

U iiixercise, Healtn and. 

$20.49. By Charles Barnard. Being an explicit account of Mr. Barnard's 
actual operations on a suburban village house lot. Interesting and valuable 
to all suburban dwellers, professional men and mechanics. PRICE, 25 CTS. 

THE RURAL rUBLISHIXG COMPANY, Times Building, N. Y. 



lindoi Gardenln 



A LOT OF DELIGHTFUL AND 
PRACTICAL ARTICLES AND 
PLEASING ILLUSTRATIONS 
—ALL ON WINDOW GARDENING-make up this pretty little work- 
Written by expert flower and plant growers. Covers every phase of plant 
■culture in the house. PRICE, 10 CENTS. 

THE RURAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, Times Building, N. Y. 



Tie Nei Botany. 



A LECTURE ON THE BEST METH- 
OD OF TEACHING THE SCIENCE. 
By W. J. BEAL, (M. Sc, Ph. D.), Pro- 
fessor of Botany, Agricultural College, Michigan. Third edition, enlarged 
and revised. PRICE, 25 CENTS. 

THE RURAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, Times Building. X. Y 



Annals of Horticulture for 1890. 



Br Professor l. H. bailey. 



As a work of reference for all students of 




include hundreds of entries. It will form an 
to the knowledge of the origin and 
variation of plants. The novel- 
ties of i8go, tools and conven- 
ience of the year, directories, 
lists of plant portraits, including 
all the leading journals of the 
world this year, recent horticul- 
tural literature, and other chap- 
ters, are each alone worth many 
times more than the cost of the 
book. What have horticultur- 
ists thought about during i8go ? 
This is the theme of the book. 



plants and nature, this 
will be invaluable. 
No one who expects 
to keep up with the 
progress of the times 
can be without it. An 
especial feature o f 
the volume for 1890 
will be a census of 
cultivated plants of 
American origin, with 
dates of introduction 

, and extent of varia- 
tion under culture. 
This includes all or- 
namentals and all 
esculents, and will 

invaluable contribution 




Profusely Illustrated. lu full cloth, $1 ; Paper 60 cents. 

THE RURAL PUBLISHING CO., Times Building, New York. 



THE flniERICHN GARDEN 

Combines in one magazine the old Horticulturist of Andrew Jackson Downing^ 

established in 1846 ; The Gardener's Monthly of Marot and Meehan, 

established in 1857 ; The Floral Cabinet of Henry T. Williams, 

established in 1871, and The American Garden of Dr. 

F. M. Hexamer, established in 1872. 

Edited by Professor L. H. BAILE V, practical horticulturist, Professor of 
Horticulture in Cornell University and Horticulturist of the Cornell Experi- 
ment Station. 

It is the only independent, illustrated magazine of Horticulture and 
Country Life in the world. It is the Livest, Brightest, Largest, Handsomest, 
most Valuable Rural Magazine published anywhere. 

It is in magazine form, with a beautiful cover, averages over 100 pages, 
140 articles and 40 illustrations in each number, aggregating over 1,200 pages, 
1,600 articles and .500 illustrations in a year; written and prepared by hun- 
dreds of bright writers, original thinkers, successful specialists and practi- 
cal horticulturists in all parts of the world. Original from cover to cover, 
Its special features include: 

BROAD DISCUSSIONS of economic questions by leading thinkers. Re- 
lations of soil culture to government and society. The old and the new in 
farming. Development of new industries, etc., etc. 

FRUIT CULTURE, embracing all branches, climates and conditions, from 
apples in Maine and Minnesota to oranges in Florida and California; small 
fruits and tree fruits of every description ; grapes in the vineyard and un- 
der glass; diseases of fruits; insect enemies; nut culture; new varieties. 
lllxif<traUd. 

FLORICULTURE, comprising descriptions of varieties and methods of 
culture. Accounts of all the new introductions ; conserv^atory and greenhouse 
management; beds and bedding; artistic arrangement; commercial floricul- 
ture; window gardening. I Uustrated. 

LANDSCAPE GARDENING in all its phrases, from park construction and 
management down to the arrangement of the smallest places. Illust7'ated. 

VEGETABLE GARDENING.— Growing vegetables for market and home 
use, under glass and out-doors. New varieties. Illustrated. 

GREENHOUSE CONSTRUCTION, heating, ventilation, etc. Illustrated. 

"THE EDITOR'S OUTLOOK" discusses current topics of interest to all 
agriculturists. 

' ' FIRST FRUITS ' ' chronicles recent happenings in the horticultural field. 

"BOOKS AND BULLETINS" is a most important department, giving, as 
it does, the gist of the work of the Experiment Stations extracted from their 
bulletins, review of books, etc. 

TEEiMS : $^3.00 a year; .fl.OO for six months; 50 cents for three months. 
In club with The Rural New-Yorker, both one year for .$3.00. 

On Trinl TMREB AIOlSTTMS BOR 25 CBlS^TS for introcluatioxi, 

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What is 
The Rural New-Yorker? 

The MOST TRUSTWORTHY of any paper of its class 
printed.— J. J. Harrison, President of the Storrs & Harrison 

Company. 

Everybody that is a body knows of the UNIQUE INDIVI- 
DUALITY of the Rural along the lines of original experi- 
mental investigation. — J. J. H. Gregory. 

The editor of the Rural New-Yorker has opened an entirely 
NEW FIELD OF INVESTIGATION, the possibilities of 
which cannot be conjectured.— Norman J. Colman. 

The Rural New-Yorker has DONE MORE FOR FAR- 
MERS than nine-tenth of all the land-grant colleges and Ex- 
periment stations. — New York Tribune. 

We have seen on the farm of the editor of The Rural New- 
Yorker a crop of 134 bushels of shelled corn raised on one 
acre of land. — American Agriculturist. 

The Rural New-Yorker illustrates the PROGRESS made 
by the agricultural class, much of which is due to the inspira- 
tion of The Rural New-Yorker, and the papers which follow 
its example.— Lt. Gov. E. F. Jones. 

The Rural New-Yorker has DONE MORE TO PRO- 
MOTE THE TRUE INTERESTS OF AGRICULTURE 
than all the Experiment Stations put together. — r/z^ New York 

Times. 

The best farm weekly in the \^ox\^.—Farm Jour7ial. 

$2. 00 a year. On trial, ten weeTcs, 25 cents. 

THE RURAL PUBIISHISG COMPABY, Times Building, Hew York. 

Jt^^ANYTHING THAT YOU WANT, no matter what, at REDUCED COST, 
in return for sending us clubs of subscriptions. 



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